Katie’s Story: Why breaking the stigma around mental health is critical for receiving care
Katie is a 33-year old professional who grew up in Arvada. She’s struggled with mental health concerns most of her life, but didn’t seek help until she was an adult.
“I was always an anxious kid, but I thought that’s how everyone felt,” said Katie. “I worried about EVERYTHING. Whenever I would see something on the news that was catastrophic, I was absolutely convinced it would also happen to me or my family, and I would cry and couldn’t be consoled.”
Through the years, she learned how to hide what she was feeling.
“Everyone would tell me I was fine and brush it aside. Because I felt like that every day, I learned to cope the best I could, by putting that anxiety into doing well in school and being involved in a lot of activities. I didn’t talk about it with anyone. On the outside, it looked like I was thriving, but below the surface, I was constantly struggling and sometimes barely able to hold it together.”
The anxiety continued, and 13 years later, it got even worse.
“When I graduated from college, that’s when everything really came to a head for me. By all of the ‘typical’ measures, I was doing well, but instead of being happy and excited for the future, I would come home and cry every day. There were some days I didn’t even have the energy to get out of bed, and it started manifesting in physical ways. I wasn’t sleeping well and was getting headaches.”
That’s when Katie decided to see a doctor.
“When I explained my symptoms to her, she told me that she didn’t think it was a physical issue, and recommended that I see a mental health specialist. At first, I was a little resistant to the idea. I had a stereotype of what I thought someone with a mental illness looked like. Mental health wasn’t something that was every talked about, and as far as I knew, no one else was struggling with this like I was.”
Even though she was apprehensive, Katie decided to take that first step.
“I knew I couldn’t keep living like this and I wanted to get better. I took the referral of my doctor and made an appointment with a therapist through Jefferson Center. When I met with the therapist, it was the first time that I was very open with someone about I was feeling and my history. Even just talking about it, helped me feel like a weight was lifted off my shoulders.”
The therapist diagnosed Katie as having generalized anxiety disorder, reassuring her that there were plenty of treatments options to manage it.
“That was literally one of the biggest turning points in my life. I was so relieved to talk with someone who took what I was feeling seriously, and to finally have a name for something I had struggled with for so long.”
Today, Katie is thriving. She regularly advocates for mental health and works to break the stigma by talking about mental health within her circles.
“Having anxiety is something that I cope with every day. It’s a part of me, but it doesn’t control me anymore because I have the tools and support system to manage it. That first appointment changed my life. Without Jefferson Center, I don’t know where I would’ve gone or how I would’ve even gotten started. I’m grateful for their services, and that my doctor knew where I could get help.”
Mental health illness impacts us all
Imagine a world where talking about and seeking help for mental health concerns was as common as going for an annual physical. With 1 in 5 adults in the United States experiencing mental illness, and 19% of people experiencing anxiety disorders, it should be.
But at the same time, the average delay from when symptoms first appear to beginning treatment is 11 years. Even the most severe cases of mental health illness can be treated, and early intervention can help lessen long-term disability and prevent years of suffering. Your donation helps Jefferson Center’s work to reduce mental health stigma, and provide treatment options and resources for people like Katie to get the help they need.
Next week on Tuesday, December 10, thousands of donors will come together to support local nonprofits during Colorado’s largest 24-hour online giving event – Colorado Gives Day.
Make Colorado Gives Day easy by scheduling your gift to Jefferson Center today and make your donation go even further. When Jefferson Center reaches $5,000 in scheduled donations, our board members will contribute an additional $500 gift.
Join us in supporting our mission to create a world where mental health matters and care is accessible to all.
Jake’s Story: How better access to mental health services in school saved his life
“He’s a very old soul. He’s a leader, with a wicked sense a humor, but he’s also very sensitive.”
Those are just a few of the ways that Jake’s mom describes her son. Jake* had been struggling emotionally at school, and a teacher recommended that he see their Jefferson Center school-based counselor.
After they talked, the counselor contacted Jake’s mom to let her know what was going on.
“The counselor told me that she had talked with Jake, and asked him if he was considering harming or killing himself. He told her that he was. I was shocked. But because of that conversation, we all worked together and created an action plan to help Jake, including daily check-ins with the counselor.”
A few weeks went by and things seemed to get better. Then, one day, Jake’s counselor passed him in the hallway and said hello. He didn’t respond and just gave her a look.
“This was really out of character for him,” she said. “I asked him to talk with me, because I wanted to know if something was wrong. At first he was hesitant to tell me, but then said he’d write it down. He wrote that he’d been having a hard time at school again, and that he’d been practicing how to commit suicide.”
She immediately called Jake’s mom.
“I went into shock. As a parent, I had a lot of guilt, wondering how I didn’t know it was this bad. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. I dropped everything and went to the school and we sat and talked about everything. When your child is experiencing a mental health issue, as a family, it’s all hands on deck. And it’s not always a one-time thing. You have to keep up with care, even if it seems like everything is fine. I’m so thankful for Jefferson Center and that they have counselors in our schools, because Jake’s counselor opened the line of communication with him. He needed a person to talk to, and she was there, letting him know he was safe and had support at school.”
Jake and his family continued therapy, and his mental health improved, and he wrote a letter thanking his counselor. The letter read:
“You never get mad, you never judge me, and I’m here today because of you.”
Suicide is preventable
Suicide is the leading cause of death for young Coloradans, ages 10-24. This is a heart-breaking statistic, but by making mental health services more readily available through programs like Jefferson Center’s school-based counseling, we can work to prevent these tragedies.Your donation helps ensure that kids like Jake and their families get the help they need.
Next month on Tuesday, December 10, thousands of donors will come together to support local nonprofits during Colorado’s largest 24-hour online giving event – Colorado Gives Day.
Make Colorado Gives Day easy by scheduling your gift to Jefferson Center today and make your donation go even further. When Jefferson Center reaches $5,000 in scheduled donations, our board members will contribute an additional $500 gift.
Join us in supporting our mission to create a world where mental health matters and care is accessible to all.