Mental Health Awareness Day 2024: Self-Care

Mental Health Focus and Awareness

Today, on World Mental Health Awareness Day, I’m here to shed light on a deeply personal and painful experience.

In recent months, I discovered that an obsessed ex and certain members of my estranged family illegally declared me mentally incompetent, all for financial gain.

This revelation was devastating, but I refuse to stay silent. Today, I speak out, not just for myself, but for all of you who have faced manipulation, exploitation, or had your mental health weaponized against you.

My Story

(Click here)

For years, I’ve been working solo to heal from toxic relationships and family dynamics, but nothing prepared me for the discovery that those related to me as well as individuals and institutions I once believed had my back had gone so far as to illegally declare me mentally incompetent.

The very people who should have supported me, instead exploited the system for their own gain. This wasn’t just an attack on my finances or freedom—it is an attack on my identity and my humanity as well as on my God-given destiny.

Mental health should never be weaponized. Yet, I know I’m not alone in this. Many others have been silenced or discredited in similar ways, whether by manipulative partners, family members, or even institutions.

Support for Others

To anyone out there who’s struggling with their mental health, or who’s been taken advantage of or falsely accused like I have—I want you to know you’re not alone.

No one has the right to take away your voice, your agency, or your dignity. Your mental health is your own, and it deserves care, not manipulation.

If you’re facing something similar, take it one step at a time. Find allies, whether they’re friends, legal professionals, or even communities online. Make sure these are people you can trust. Your truth matters. I feel confident that you will find people out there who will listen.

A Call to Action

This journey has been the most challenging, but I know that by speaking out, I’m taking back my power.

I believe that awareness is the first step to change, and we need to bring attention to the ways mental health can be weaponized for personal gain.

In whatever possible way that you are able, let's demand better protections for those who are vulnerable, and let’s stand up against those who seek to exploit the system.

Today, on World Mental Health Awareness Day—in fact, not just today; I encourage you to use your voice—whether you’re speaking out against injustice or sharing your personal struggles.

Together, we can make a difference, and I have faith that justice will prevail, not just for me, but for all of us.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. —Martin Luther King Jr.
#WorldMentalHealthDay

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