I began my journey with THEDS in September 2022 during a challenging period of my life. I had just finished university, was unemployed, and was severely depressed as life had not planned out like how I thought it would. I became extremely paranoid, felt alone and didn’t want to live anymore. Although I had people around me advising me on how to better improve my life, it didn’t work, and I only blamed myself for not being able to “fix” myself.

I slowly began to shut myself away at home, stopped seeing family and friends, didn’t sleep well and barely ate till eventually my sister convinced me to reach out for help.

I remember contacting the crisis line out of desperation one night at about 3am because I couldn’t sleep. This was the start for me being signposted from service to service with no consistent form of support available until I was eventually referred to THEDS when things got really bad.

Once THEDS initiated contact, I was finally able to speak about all that I had been going through in a confidential space with my mental health nurse, psychiatrist and psychologist. This allowed me to get the support I needed, through a combination of medication, talking therapy (CBT) and eventually support with employment due to the financial insecurity i faced in the job I had at the time.

After years of being the person who listened to others, I was finally felt heard, supported and had my feelings validated. Slowly, things started to improve and I found myself starting to enjoy the things I once loved.

I was able to find a job that helped me to stay on my dreams, attended my weekly talking therapy sessions and began to find purpose in life again.

Fast forward to 2025, I am now in a place that I didn’t imagine to be possible. I am medication free and have developed ways of coping with everyday stress. My life isn’t perfect, and I know it never will be, but I’m finally beginning to recognise my worth and what I am able to achieve. My confidence has improved immensely due to the support I have received from THEDS.

If you are struggling, I would advise you to speak to your GP about it, to prevent things from escalating like it did with me. I wish I wasn’t afraid to reach out back then because I now know that there was nothing to be afraid of as there is support out there if you are open to it! Asking for help doesn’t make you weak in any way.