Personal story: The moment I realised I wasn’t alone.
Gabrielle recalls her first experience of attending a support group for depression and anxiety.
By Gabrielle Magid, founder of Stronger Than Stigma, a non-profit organisation dedicated to mental health advocacy for millennials.
I started struggling with depression and anxiety when I was 17 years old. High school is already a difficult time in people’s lives – everyone can relate to feeling nervous about the future. But for me, it was a little more trying. I felt alone and ashamed – like I was the only one.
Statistically, I knew this was unlikely. But no one was talking about mental health. At least, no one in my high school.
It wasn’t until I went to university that I realised I was far from alone. There were other people my age struggling.
At the University of Florida, I attended my first ever support group for anxiety and depression.
It was a significant turning point in my life.
Until walking into that room, I had only spoken of my mental health at home or with my doctors and therapists. I had presumed that my experience wasn’t normal. Everyone else was fine and seemed to have everything all figured out.
But then, I got to meet people just like me. Same age, same angst about which major to settle into, same struggles to find time to look after sleep hygiene and go to therapy. And these people weren’t weirdos. (I mean, for the record, every person on this planet is a weirdo...nobody is normal...) My point is, I wanted to be friends with these people, they were cool.
And being in their presence and able to discuss things openly felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could breathe. I could be me.
Attending that support group set me on the path I’m on today as founder of Stronger Than Stigma, a non-profit organisation on a mission to empower, inspire, and support those struggling with mental health issues. I wanted everybody to have that same feeling of finally being understood.
Our message to people is clear: “You’re not weird. You’re not the only one. We’ve been there. We get it.”
It doesn’t matter what you look like, how old you are, or where you grew up – there are people just like you seeking help, too.
I know sharing your story isn’t easy, let alone walking into a support group. I know reaching out for help can feel terrifying.
But I believe that we’re Stronger Than Stigma, and the time is now to come together and support one another.
The statistics are real, but numbers don’t really make sense until you see people and hear their stories. That’s when you know you’re not alone.
Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. Our goal is to make this a universal truth: There is strength in asking for help. Do it.
