A community event called “Normal is Overrated” held at Florida SouthWestern State College was a chance to get acquainted with local mental health resources, and hear from inspirational speakers. The goal of the free conference was to address teen mental health and help break down barriers around its treatment.
Normal is Overrated is sponsored by Kids Minds’ Matter, an organization that addresses the mental health epidemic affecting Southwest Florida’s children and families.
Fiona Hastings was one of the student speakers. She shared her personal story about her struggles with mental health.
“I was 13 years old when I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety. I was also 13 years old when I told my mom for the first time that I wanted to die. I started therapy and medication to help manage my depression and anxiety. But as the years went on, my health started to decline more and more,” Hastings said.
Eventually, Fiona went for help to the PACE Center for Girls, which provides mental health resources for free. At PACE, she was able to work with a counselor, make sure she was on the proper medications, and learn helpful life skills. Now she is a senior in the PACE program and thriving.
Andrea Gijon, a student at Florida SouthWestern State College was another speaker. She talked about sexual abuse in her past and the trauma and anxiety it brought on. She too revealed that she had been suicidal.
“When I was in the age of seventh grade, or at seventh grade and I wanted to commit suicide, I was already planning how I was going to orchestrate everything. And luckily, my dad just, I guess my dad just has, like, the sixth sense, and he had called me, he said, Hey, um, is everything okay? And just by my tone of voice, he just knew something was wrong,” Gijon said.
Andrea is very close to her family and said that their support, together with her faith, pulled her through her mental health crisis. Both students said that sharing their stories has helped with their growth, because they feel they are helping others who may be struggling with the same issues.
The conference was chock full of resources and information about how to treat mental health in children and adolescents.
Fiona Hastings again:
“If there's one thing I want you to take away from my story, it's this: Your past does not define your future. Your struggles are chapters, not the whole story. You have the power to write new pages filled with hope, strength and growth. Keep moving forward, keep believing in yourself, and remember, you are never alone.”
If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
