“I should have been successful, but I wasn’t.
When AJ was nine or 10, he was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). That led to other diagnoses: generalized anxiety and depression.
Growing up, he was in the gifted program at school, but was getting into shouting matches with his teachers. By the time he was in grade 10, he had dropped out.
On Vancouver Island, 1 in 4 people struggle with mental health issues.
His illness made it difficult to get along with his family. His depression was so bad that it manifested as suicidal thoughts. By the time he was 18, he ended up leaving home. He had no money, no education. He had little social life.
“I felt like no one was listening to me.”
Mental health is an #UNIGNORABLE issue that you can help tackle.
Good mental health helps us enjoy our life and the people in it. Individuals struggling with mental health issues can experience fear, rejection, and stigma that severely impacts their quality of life.
Too often stigma gets in the way of asking for help.
Your gift can help people like AJ reconnect to society and access programs and services to help him. Help people like AJ get on with their lives.
Please donate and help people like AJ thrive.
