This module made me reminisce on the stories that I have read and that have stayed with me throughout my life. Stories have the power to change the course of other peoples lives. That is something that I believe wholeheartedly because I would not be here today if it were not for people sharing their stories.
To paint the picture, a little background on this. I have struggled with depression from a very young age. Fiction was my best friend then. Escaping into worlds to escape my own. My anxiety and panic attacks developed the second half of my senior year of high school back in 2013. Two years later I would drop out of community college because of my mental health and in 2017-2018 I battled suicidal thoughts. I did not necessarily want to die. I just really, really, really, wanted my brain to be quiet. I wanted peace.
When distracting myself with Marvel, Star Wars, and even reading stopped doing any good, I went to the internet hoping I could find others in the same boat as me. I remember doing a Google search for, “What do you do when you begin to get suicidal thoughts?” I cannot recall exact quotes of what I found, but I can sum it up in one word: hope. That Google search rendered a copious amount of results thanks to all those that decided to share their story on the internet. There were answers from those currently having that same battle and answers from those who had managed to overcome them.
I am now here, doing a Master’s program when back then I did not think I would even finish my Associate’s degree. My depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are still present, but I manage them and bounce back much faster than I used to. I am working at my public library like I had always wanted to. I learned to drive! I can stand in lines without falling into a panic attack. And most importantly, overall I am happy and excited about life. Emotions that once seemed so foreign to me. I owe, in part, my life today to those people on the internet because when I was shrouded in darkness, they helped me find the light. Helped me feel seen and understood. All because they shared their stories.
Sometimes we may think our lives are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but I think we underestimate how impactful some of the stories we hold could be to those who need to hear them the most. Which is why we should share them.
@stephandbooks thank you for this very personal and very honest reflection on the power of stories. I totally agree with you regarding how important it is to share our stories and seek support.