Everyone has a story. And everyone deserves to have their story told. This is especially true for those battling the demons of mental illness. And those demons, those demons hate having their stories told.
Battling a mental illness isn’t a sign of weakness. It isn’t something that deserves the negative stigma it still has. It is a disease, with its own challenges, just like any other disease. And those who battle mental illness deserve to be treated with the same decency and respect and compassion you’d treat anyone else with if they were sick or injured. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to simply treat everyone that way, since you never know the battles they are fighting.
If anything, each and every person who is battling with the demons in their own mind is a warrior. They are a survivor. They’re a hero who deserves to have their story told. They are a hero for surviving. They are a hero for being an example for the next person that it is possible to survive with mental health issues. This is a page for those people and their stories.
I battle depression and anxiety. I will be sharing my own struggles with mental health. I’m not going to lie, it is a little terrifying. Okay, a lot terrifying. But every story shared may bolster someone else, strengthening their resolve in their own fight with mental health. And although this is my project, I hope it will turn into something more. I hope it turns into a place where all those who are struggling feel free to demonstrate their bravery, share their story, and hopefully shine a beacon of hope to those who are still struggling in the darkness.
If you would like to share a story, feel free to comment. You can also reach me by emailing thedarktalesproject@gmail.com. If you wish to remain confidential, please note that in the email and I promise all personal information will be kept confidential.
And thanks for stopping by. May your visit make your day just a little bit brighter.
- Juan
- About me: I am a lawyer, a husband, a friend, a mental health advocate, and I battle mental illnesses. I have struggled with depression and anxiety since high school. I have had days I couldn’t get out of bed, and days it just seemed like a bad dream, like a shadow in the back of my mind. I struggle with the deceptive ways of my mental illnesses, which even on good days lie and tell me I have nothing beneficial to offer and on bad days whisper things that are much darker. I struggle for a way to communicate these feelings to those in my life who are fortunate enough to not have the same demons. Hopefully, this blog will help. And hopefully, hopefully, this blog will also help you if you are battling your own demons. Because the most important thing I have found, the thing that has helped me get through some of the darkest days, is the knowledge that I am not alone. And that it is okay to not be okay. So thank you for stopping by. Please feel free to leave a message. The more people speak up, the more supportive people are of websites like this one, the closer we will come to finally ending the stigma.
The Dark Tales Project 