My Story
Growing up in a low-class income family in a rural, small town comes with many challenges and obstacles. One being that I never felt like I could seek proper mental health care, until moving off to college in 2022 to study psychology. In November of 2023, my second year as an undergraduate student, I was diagnosed with depression. However, I still felt like something wasn’t right; I still didn’t feel like myself and hadn’t in years. In October of 2024, my third and final year as an undergraduate student, I received the proper diagnosis, ADHD. I began blasting about this life-changing diagnosis on social media, I no longer cared what anyone thought of me, I finally felt free and wanted to share my experiences for those facing similar situations. I did not put much thought into what I was posting, causing others to assume the worst, that something else might be wrong with me, resulting in a loss of friendships and damaging relationships. I had to learn how to trust my intuition, stand up for myself, and lean into the plans the Lord has for me, which is what brought me here. Other than growing up in an abnormal household, another reason I was scared to seek proper care was due to the negative stigma surrounding mental disorders; I was scared of what the answer could have been. This non-profit organization is a safe platform to continue to accomplish what I hope - breaking the negativity and misconceptions surrounding mental health related issues.
Purpose and Mission
“The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” - John 1:5 ESV
Throughout discovering ADHD was my diagnosis, I was challenged by God in lots of ways. I had spend the past year and a half up until my diagnosis running away from God, denying Him, thinking that my plan was better than His. I did not intend for my circumstances to unravel in the way that they did, but I would not have it any other way. I learned that God really does love me and has a plan for me that is better than what I could have ever imagined. I made some mistakes that cannot be undone, but I gained the greatest gift ever- a real relationship with our Father in Heaven.
The mission of An Open Mind is to instill readers with the same courage that others were instilling in me through unbenounced prayer. The purpose of An Open Mind is to continue to shine light on mental health related issues, to break the stigma, educate others, and help the reader discover their inner light- weather you have a mental disability or were born with a chemically balanced brain, this is the place for you!