Mental Health Charity Programs

What does “being an artist” mean to me

I think we throw the term Artist around a lot. An artist is anyone who creates art. My 2 Year old niece is an artist, my 11 and 14 year old sons are artists, and yes I am an artist. But being an artist isn’t why I paint miniatures. I paint miniatures because it’s fun and relaxing, and happens to be something I’m good at and have a passion for. Anyone and everyone can be (and should be) an artist. Drawing, painting, writing, playing music. You don’t have to be good at it to be considered an artist. As long as you’re enjoying yourself. That’s what matters most.

How does mental health awareness and support help my life and those around me?

When I was 13 I was diagnosed with manic depression, a medical phrase that’s not commonly used anymore. I got told this 10 years later when I started having really bad prolonged episodes of severe depression, followed by extreme episodes of dangerous and reckless behavior. Turns out what I had was now called Bipolar Disorder, and I had it bad. Type 1 (BP1) to be exact. I also found out that I have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), generalized anxiety disorder, Adult ADHD, and am on the spectrum. None of this had been told to me in all the time I went to therapy as a kid, I just thought I was weird for how my brain worked. But it turns out that when I was a kid, it was much harder to diagnose girls and women with these disorders. As I got older, and mental health awareness became more prevalent, I started learning things about myself, why my brain works the way it does, and what I could do to help myself and those in close contact with me. I tried just about every medication under the Sun until I found the combo of meds that worked best for me. I tried therapy after therapy, finally finding one that I could adhere to regularly, and my life turned around. I was lost in the grey fog of unknowing for so long that when I finally found the light through clear eyes I was astonished at the world around me and what I could accomplish. When I had my boys, I never dreamed that my mental episodes would be passed to them, let alone that they would be split between them. My oldest got off lucky with just my anxiety. My youngest has had it much harder taking the brunt of mental health issues. But with therapy and medication we’re getting him the help he needs to be successful in life, much earlier than I was. With the abundance of support from my husband and my family, I finally feel like I’m on the path I was meant to be.

Thank You, Veridyan! For Sharing Your Story With Us.

Prince
MHCP Founder