Trigger Warning: Self harm, Suicide, Eating Disorders, Bullying.
Hi, my name is Chleo Eve. I want to share my story with you because I know how hard it can be to talk about mental health, especially when you feel like no one understands.
When I was 14, my best friend Amanda passed away. She took her own life on August 10th, 2017. Amanda was my only real friend during my first year of high school. She was the one person I could talk to about anything, and losing her broke my heart. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to go through.
For most of my teenage years, I struggled with my own mental health. I was in and out of the adolescent psych ward from the time I was 12 until I turned 18. It became a part of my routine—every four to six months, I’d be back in the ward. While I was there, I did my schooling and focused on trying to get better. It was a safe space for me, but it also made me feel very different from other kids my age.
Growing up in a small country town, mental health was something no one really talked about. My family didn’t understand it, and honestly, they still don’t fully understand it today. I think with better education and more open conversations, we could help young people like me who are going through really hard times.
As a teenager, I dealt with self-harm, thoughts of suicide, eating disorders, and bullying. It felt like everything was piling up, and I didn’t know how to handle it. There weren’t many mental health resources in my community, and even if there were, people didn’t really talk about using them. The stigma was so strong that it felt like asking for help wasn’t an option.
But being in the psych ward taught me that help is out there. It might not feel like it right now, but things can get better. Even when I felt like I was at my lowest, there were people who cared and wanted to help me, even if I didn’t always see it at the time.
I wish I could go back and tell my younger self—and Amanda—that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to talk about what you’re feeling. And it’s okay to not be okay.
If you’re reading this and you’re struggling, please know you’re not alone. There are people out there who care about you and want to help you. It’s brave to ask for help, and it’s the first step toward healing.
Let’s keep talking about mental health so no one feels like they have to face it alone.