Colorado teen shares her struggle with anxiety and depression during mental health awareness month
STERLING, Colo. (KRDO) -- One Colorado teen overcame anxiety and depression to become a role model and a mentor to other young people struggling with their mental health.
In May for mental health awareness month, 18 year old Quinnlynn Parrish who lives in Sterling, Colorado shared her story. Her anxiety and depression began at 7 years old after enduring a traumatic home life at her young age. She didn't know what it was at first, but knew something wasn't right.
"I kinda just shut down," Parrish said. "I started to get very depressed and very anxious. It got to the point where I was self harming."
Her mother Jennifer Roberts, who previously struggled with depression, noticed the signs and encouraged her daughter to seek help.
"Never give up on them," Roberts said. "They might not want it. But just love them where they're at. Champion them, support them. I think parents need to clue into their kids."
Jennifer encouraged Quinn to go to therapy. She also helped her daughter find a creative outlet. Whether that's for example an art form, a sport, or joining a club.
"Find something that you love to do and use that as an outlet," Parrish said. "So when you feel overwhelming anger, sadness, do that thing you love. The thing that really helped me was painting and writing poetry. So when I would feel overwhelming emotions, I would sit down and paint something. So then it wasn't trapped inside me."
It helped her process her emotions and feelings in a healthy way.
"Whether it's a sport you really like doing, or a club you really like going to," Parrish said. "Having that chance to do something positive in your week is really important for improving your mental mindset."
The paintings and poetry also helped facilitate treatment in therapy.
"A lot of the time you just don't know what to say," Parrish said. "So instead I would show my poetry or a new painting I did and say this is how I felt on Tuesday."
She says finding an outlet along with finding a community are the 2 key elements to mental health awareness.
"There are others who have gone through similar things," Parrish said. "There are others who love you and support you. Finding someone who actually cares about you. Whether you know them really well or if they're a complete stranger. Finding someone who cares for you is very important because then you don't feel that overwhelming sense of aloneness."
As she started to heal, she was approached by her teacher to become a role model in a mentor program at her high school Colorado Preparatory Academy. In which she meets and speaks with struggling peers she's matched up with to share her journey and help them seek help and resources.
"It's kind of cool to be able to do that now because I can tell them, this is what I did to help me, and this is maybe something that could help you too," Parrish said. "It shows them they're not alone."
This also led to her becoming a Safe2Tell ambassador, in which she helps others to know they’re not alone and have a safe space to share what’s on their mind.
"When I first started having these issues I never thought I'd be able to help other people who are going through the same thing," Parrish said. "It feels very empowering and makes me so happy."
