Two summers ago, my daughter had a distressing experience during a forest walk at a summer camp, which triggered her first anxiety attack. She began seeing a presence referred to as the "lady" in the bushes, which soon became a recurring nightmare haunting her even at home. This "lady," who introduced herself as Azreal, started communicating with her and manipulating her by issuing instructions to lie to our family or face harm.
Disturbingly, one day while walking home from school, she followed Azreal's directive and endured a traumatic incident of self-harm involving cutting her own arm. This marked the beginning of a distressing pattern where she would wake up to new cuts on her arms and neck, always attributing them to Azreal's influence.
Recognizing the severity of the situation, we sought counselling to address her emotional well-being. Over time, she began to comprehend that it was her own actions causing the harm, exacerbated by her difficult experiences at school. She resorted to using pencil sharpeners blades to cut herself discreetly both at school and at the mall, enduring ridicule from peers who labeled her "barcode arms" and callously urged her to "try harder." Eventually, after much trial and error, we found the right medication dosage for her, although there was an instance when she stopped taking them for a few days, driven by a desire to cry and the misconception that she could not. Regrettably, this led to her wanting to cut deeper and ended up in hospital.
Amid this challenging journey, I bought a little notebook to document the occurrences and my daughter's disclosures. I collected business cards and pamphlets from various individuals and organizations. This experience eventually inspired the creation of this mental health organizer. A practical tool to consolidate all the information in one place, aiding in my organizational efforts and ensuring easy access to necessary resources.
If you are reading this and grappling with a similar situation, please know that you are not alone, and there are resources available to support you. While our search for assistance was hard and stressful, I encourage you to continue seeking help. If you are considering an organizer like this, I sincerely recommend giving it a try, as it has proven invaluable in my personal experience.
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