Your heart is beating a bit too fast and you have a sick feeling in your stomach. It’s all you can think about. That’s what anxiety feels like. What I just described is also the feeling you get when you realize someone you love is truly suffering from the mental torment that is anxiety. The primal response is, “I’ll fix it!”, but as often the case, we don’t know how. I had to figure it out for my son and now my passion is helping others get the help they need. I know it’s scary but, I promise, even mountains can be moved. With the right treatment, people get better. Fight for it, believe it and love with all your heart. Follow a few simple steps to begin the road to recovery, for yourself, or for someone you love.”
- Kim Vincenty
Founder of JACK Mental Health Advocacy
A percent of proceeds from the Fearless Giveback Collection supports JACK Mental Health Advocacy, a nonprofit created to change the way anxiety sufferers and their families navigate the challenges of mental illness, fight stigma, and obtain quality education, support, and treatment.
Anxiety Disorders can be caused by trauma, extreme stress, from a wide variety of external factors (work, school, finances, natural disasters, etc.). It can also be caused by medical factors, substance abuse, genetics, brain chemistry or a combination of these things.
The best way to reduce the stigma of Mental Illness is for people to meet or know someone that suffers. Never be ashamed of your illness (everyone has something!), or be embarrassed to admit your child, friend or family member has a mental illness. Seek out a support group. You will quickly see you are not alone.
Most national websites offer awesome suggestions for guiding a friend or loved one toward help. Know the information before you confront someone. Always show love and compassion but also a committed firmness to seeing them get well. Most importantly, do not accommodate obsessive or irrational behavior, remain strictly focused on the treatment that will get your loved one back to living the life they deserve.
National Institute of Mental Health
International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Mental Health America National Alliance of Mental Health
National Council for Behavioral Health
Stronger Than Stigma
Fear it, but face it!... and more than anything else, NEVER, NEVER give up.
