“I grew up in a half-Korean home and at least in the past, Korea has been known for raising their kids to be strong people and not ever show weakness. But I think being too prideful to share and get help is actually what makes you weaker. The strongest people know when to ask for help and they know who to ask help and they know that life wasn’t meant to be alone. I think it’s really easy to feel alone, so it’s really important to reach out and try to get help.
The barrier with asking for help for me was that I go to a Christian school, and I lead worship there and I’m supposed to be a leader there. And as a leader, we try our best to show like a good example of what it’s like to be a strong, healthy person with a good attitude and good moral decisions. And that really kept me from getting help for a long time. Being a leader is not about appearing to be strong and perfect; being a leader is showing your flaws. I can’t relate to people who are perfect because I’m not perfect, and I’m sure that’s how everyone else feels.
Something that helped was to go to people who have also dealt with [mental health struggles] and come out of it. They’re never going to judge you for it; they’re going to understand your pain. They’re going to understand where you come from and they’re going to help you through it.
I think throughout this whole journey [with mental health], I’ve become a more sympathetic person. I’ve been able to relate to other people and I’ve been able to help other people. My passion is music and writing music, and I’ve been able to find a way to write down everything I feel and to create melodies that relate to how I’ve been feeling.”
— Annie
Featured Story: Annie
