This is a first-person excerpt from a YouTube video by James Laughlin (uploaded May 25, 2023) reflecting on recovering from depression and anxiety. The speaker describes being told mental illness is "an illness, not a weakness," a multi-year journey from "surviving to thriving," and how depression/anxiety erode self-esteem and create feelings of loneliness even in social settings.
He said, J.K. it's an illness, not a weakness. And I went, wow. You know, and I think from there on in, although it took me probably seven years to get all the way through it and to be as I sort of talk about, you know, going from surviving to thriving. And you know, for me, the journey wasn't always straightforward. You know, it was a couple steps forward, a couple steps back, pretty bumpy road, but out the other end a pretty, pretty good place to be. And I think that, you know, part of the reason that I wanted to get involved, I mean, for me, you know, when he said it's an illness, not a weakness, and part of the illness takes away your self esteem, your self confidence and your enjoyment in life. You know, it's funny how you can be a room of 200 people and feel incredibly lonely.
