Sharing

Friday, April 21, 2023

Maybe there’s something to this art journal after all.

Today, I got to share my story of mental illness. Every month, we have a virtual Town Hall that is put on by our DEI Manager. Each one has a special guest speaker that shares a story about the monthly topic. The topic is usually related to the month, i.e. Black History Month, Women’s History Month, Pride Month, etc. Originally, I was going to speak in May for Mental Health Month, but it was moved up to today.

With almost 40 people from my department in attendance, I spent an hour discussing how growing up with a bi-polar “parent” that was also an addict, shaped who I am. I shared my anxiety, depression, and ADHD; what it’s like to have it, when I was diagnosed, the treatments that I use to cope.

I think the best part came after. I received several DMs from various colleagues thanking me for sharing and even mentioned their own story. My VP was emotional, and I seemed to have struck a nerve with most.

I guess it’s worth it to keep doing what I’m doing.