Stories of Hope: An Interview with Abbie Williams
This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked advocate Abbie Williams about her journey and her current activities. Here’s our interview:
DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment?
AW: I was always a shy child, but I noticed a significant impact on my mental health when I was around 15 years old. Around that time, my social anxiety became much more severe. I think a huge part of me always thought that shyness was something I would simply “grow out of.”
When I reached my late teens I noticed the anxiety was still there and was something I was going to have to deal with long term. I also began to experience symptoms of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and extreme rumination with my thoughts. I got to a point where I was shutting myself in my room and crying.
I didn’t see an end to how I was feeling and I was putting on a brave face to everyone around me. Everyone used to laugh about how obsessive I was with my worrying. I started to realise it was really serious and impacting me in a huge way. By the age of 18, I started experiencing panic attacks and isolating myself even further.
DS: What was the turning point that led you to decide to seek help?
AW: When I started University, I was 18, I was avoiding attending lectures and seminars due to my anxiety, I was in an abusive relationship and I was deeply depressed. I started to accept that I had a mental health problem. I reached out to the university counsellor who encouraged me to also see my GP. It was a huge relief.
DS: What has your treatment consisted of, and what have you found that has worked well for you?
AW: I have done counselling, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy). I have found ACT to be most effective because I know that I am inevitably going to have negative thoughts and the ACT allows me to become comfortable with their existence.
I have also been on medication for 2+ years which seems to have given me a balance. I think there is still such a stigma around taking mental health medications as there are many mixed opinions around it. When I tell people, they seem concerned. But it has helped to keep me balanced and sane and I am really grateful for the GP who recommended it to me.
I have tried many other medications in the past. It wasn’t until I found a GP who really listened to my symptoms and consulted with a psychiatrist that I found the right treatment and medication for me.
DS: How are things going for you now? What challenges are you still facing? What have you learned that has helped you stay positive and healthy?
AW: I still have, and always will have, anxiety and depression. But I am in a healthy place. Of course I feel the more severe symptoms creep in from time to time, but I feel like I am equipped with the tools now to be able to approach those symptoms before they become severe. I am also able to channel that pain into empathy for other people.
DS: You’ve been active in mental health advocacy and/or social media. Tell us about your involvement in those activities.
AW: I run a project called Letters of Hope. The idea behind Letters of Hope is that I send handwritten letters in the mail to anyone who may be struggling with their mental health. I know what it feels like, and I know that when you are in that dark place it is very easy to feel like the world is against you.
I hope that through Letters of Hope I can show people in a similar position that the world is not against them. I am with them. And someone out there really does care.
I have sent 820 letters to far all over the world. From Australia, to America, to England, Spain, Poland, Africa and the Philippines. Mental health doesn’t discriminate. It exists for those from many different walks of life.
DS: What would you like to say to encourage others who are still working on their journey of recovery?
AW: I know that right now it feels like there is no way out. It feels like this will never end. But I just want you to know that you can and will learn to manage all of the feelings that you are experiencing right now. It might sound impossible, but you are capable of living a happy and healthy life even if you have depression or anxiety or bipolar or schizophrenia or PTSD or any other mental health condition.
What you are going through right now gives you a level of understanding and empathy for others that other people may never have. Don’t give up. Even if it really feels like there is no way out of this situation, I promise that it won’t always feel this bad. You can get through this.
Ask for help and find strategies that work for you because I PROMISE there is something out there that does work for you. You are not a terrible person or a burden. You are a human being and what you are feeling right now is not your fault. Don’t you dare give up on yourself! Someone out there cares about you. I care about you.
About Abbie
I’m Abbie Williams and I’m 24 years old. I grew up in Leeds, England and I am currently living on the gold coast in Australia (yes, I moved countries, even though at one point I refused to leave the house, I ended up moving countries!!!) You can connect with me and request one of my Letters of Hope via Instagram, Facebook or my website.
Thanks so much to Abbie for sharing her inspiring story of hope!
Would you like to share your story of hope? I plan to feature more personal accounts like this from time to time on my blog. If you are interested in sharing your story, please notify me via my contact page. Also, please subscribe to my blog and feel free to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram, “like” my Facebook page, or connect on LinkedIn. Finally, if you enjoyed this post, please share it with a friend. Thanks!