Hello everyone, today marks another Bell Let’s Talk Day here in Canada. I always feel that it’s very important for me to take part by writing a blog post. Every year I have talked about why this day is so important to me and many others who struggle with their mental health. Today I thought I would write about the things that have helped me the most along the way. As a lot of you know I have depression. I have had depression since I was eighteen my senior year of high school in 2010. It’s always a real struggle for me, but I have learned to keep trying many different things to help me a long the way. I am on medication for my depression but I don’t just rely on my medication to help me get through it. I have had a few different counsellors a long the way to help me cope and navigate my depression. It has been very helpful for me to be able to talk about my feelings and know that my feelings are valued. That was one of the hardest things for me in the beginning of all of this. I have had great counsellors a long the way. I started seeing a counsellor when I was ten or eleven to help me find ways to navigate being a person with an intellectual disability and also help me with my frustrations. As I gotten older that’s when the depression started to get worse but I was lucky to have a great counsellor to help me try and manage it. Once I hit the age of twenty I had felt like I didn’t need the help anymore. Then once I was twenty-four that’s when I started going to see a different person again. I was really struggling with my depression again because we had lost a few family members which was very difficult for me and I was really struggling through that time of my life. Again I started going back to a counsellor to get me back on track. I had stayed with them for a bit till I had felt like I was doing okay. Two years ago now I have started to see another counsellor that I have been seeing off and on when I really need it. I am really happy that I can go in, do it over the phone or even on a video call. I used to think that it was embarrassing to have a counsellor but now I have realized that it’s okay to have a counsellor. They are there for you whenever you need them and that’s their job is to help you. I have also found for myself that if I journal everyday the things that I am grateful for has really helped me I also make sure that I think of three different words like for example like I am thoughtful, I am creative and I am motivated. I call it my Gratitude Journal. I found this from reading many different self help books and listening to a few different motivational podcasts. I have made it more of my own but I have found that it really helps me. Everyone says that exercising can really help as well with your mental health. This is something for me that I am not a huge an of but I do know that I do feel much better after a good workout. This is something for me that I really have to push myself to do. Sometimes I would rather go outside just for a walk instead. Another thing that I have found that has really helped me with my mental health is going to my riding stable Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association. I get to go once a week for my own horseback riding lesson and I also volunteer there as well. There’s nothing better than going somewhere that makes you happy. I highly recommend finding somewhere to Volunteer or spend time at a place that makes you at your happiest. We all deserve to be happy. I know that it can be really difficult at times when you’re feeling down and have that dark cloud over your head. What I want to say is that things will get better, just remember that you are important, you are loved and you are worthy. If you know someone who is really struggling all you need to do is reach out and let them know that you are there for them. We are all in this together. If you know someone who is really struggling please feel free to share this with them. For me all I want is to be able to help others that are also struggling with their mental health by sharing my own story with depression. I just want to take a moment to thank you for reading my blog post. It really means the world to me. I hope that everyone has a great day!

~Crystal~