Sophie fights against Stigma: her way with mental illness

Sophie fights against Stigma: her way with mental illness

Sophie is 20 years old and lives in a municipality in the Zollernalbkreis. However, their life is shaped by mental illnesses that they have been with since childhood. Everyday life, which is normal and carefree for many people, is a great challenge for them. For their security and well -being, their name was changed by the editorial team to protect them from an unnecessary public.

The long way to diagnose

Already at the age of six, the first signs of their illness showed up. Sophie saw symptoms of a heart attack in a television show and noticed that she suddenly felt it herself. These stressful feelings led her to live in fear of having a fatal illness for years. It should take years for it to understand the concept of this anxiety disorder. Her forced acts, which she developed at the age of 10, manifested themselves as uncontrollable rituals that drove them into madness.

The consequences of invisible

Sophie describes a dark section of her youth. Depression and panic attacks are increasingly affecting their lives. Up to the age of 16, her mental suffering remained invisible to many people until she began to hurt herself - a cry for help that became visible. Her scars were a constant memory of their inner suffering. While some of her friends showed understanding, Sophie also experienced rejection and fear of contact. "Self -harm is not a question of will; it is an addiction," she explains.

Challenges in everyday life

The search for help was difficult. It was only through the intervention of a teacher that Sophie learned about the possibility of psychotherapy. The path to treatment was long and complicated, and access to a suitable therapy place had to be tedious. Finally, a doctor recognized the suspicion of burnout, which explained the physical complaints that Sophie tortured in front of her Abitur. She suffered from nerve pain and lost endurance, which indicates how closely psychological and physical health are linked.

A new way to self-campaign

Despite the challenges, Sophie has learned to live with her illness. She speaks openly about her scars, although she is aware of the prejudices that exist in society. "I wear part of my soul openly on my skin," she says. At the same time, she realizes that her physical and mental illnesses are often evaluated differently. She would like to accept the fight against her illness and plan to found an association that educates about psychological emergencies.

Future Perspectives

Sophie has big plans for the future. "I want to successfully complete my training and live an independent life," she explains. Her goal is to shape a fulfilling life in which she is no longer angry with her illness. This positive attitude and will to change have the potential to strengthen not only your own life, but also the awareness in your community for mental illnesses.

- Nag