Interview # 1
Anonymous: I’m 21; I went to college for one year at Augsburg before I decided that going into the workforce was the best thing for me. I enjoy hunting, fishing, camping, basketball, and video games. In my spare time, I write and record music. Spreading mental health awareness is important to me because growing up with bad mental health and being able to rise from those really low places and the darkest possible point in my life is a wow factor to me: It shows how strong I am as a person. In those dark times, it helped me deal with my own fears and severe depression. It taught me to not succumb to the dark thoughts, and that there isn’t anything I can’t overcome in life. A lot of the coping mechanisms I use are good, but there are a few bad ones. The good ones are really helpful because I’m also passionate about it. Writing music helps me because it's just my feelings but they flow out in rhythm. My depression and anxiety still cause me to use some of the bad mechanisms but I stay away from those as much as possible. it’s hard to say if my family has come together as a whole but my dad and I have definitely become closer since he found out about cutting, and my suicide attempt. One thing I wish I had known when just starting to go through this is that you aren't alone and that people c are and love you even if you think they don't. My last thought on this topic is that you may feel stranded and alone but you're not, just keep pushing through and trying till you don't have to try to go through life and you can just do it.
Interview #2
My name is Sophie Christine Kammerud. I am 23 years old. I first noticed my mental health when I was 11 years old; the first person I told was my friend because I was too scared to talk to my parents. I was able to get help and have the school counselor tell them. My mom was distressed about it, and I can't remember how my dad reacted; the first way I got help was that my mom put me in therapy; my most significant piece of advice for someone who is struggling like I was or in general Is if you are not comfortable going to treatment then make sure to talk to a trusted friend or loved one and use helpful resources, like the hotline or some mental health source but always consider therapy. I personally never lost someone to death, but my friends plummeted; I have a lot of friends who have awful mental health; if I were to help someone or have someone ask me for help, I'd say the best option is seeking a professional, but being there if the person needs it, the primary way I helped my sister was there for her when she lost someone incredibly close. I was able to let vent until she felt content.