I started Let’s Live three years ago, to prevent youth suicides in Kerala.
Today on 10 September 2020 which is the World Suicide Prevention Day, let me open the Survivor Series 2020 with my own story of survival.
Survivor Series: Sherin Noordheen
I am a Suicide Survivor. My father died by suicide when I was 6. I went through bouts of Clinical depression and suicidal ideation during my growing up phase. I was fortunate to get a diagnosis almost 10 years back – Borderline Personality Disorder – a name for my condition that was then diagnosed, later misdiagnosed and still under question because of the productive and high functioning life I have right now. That’s when I started learning more about myself & my mental health. Click Sherin Noordheen Kanthari Talks 2017 to watch more.
One thing that I’ve learnt from my journey through depression and diagnosis is that – you are not your condition. Never identify yourself with your diagnosis. You are just a human being passing through various phases in life – one of which might be a phase called depression. The condition does not DEFINE YOU. You are much more than a label.
Survivor Series: Sherin Noordheen
It’s very easy to do something, fall into a negative thought pattern and think – “Oh it runs in the family, it’s not me- it’s my depression, I can’t help it. I am like this…”
No! Don’t fall for this kind of thought process. Your mental health is never an excuse to do/not do something.
Take responsibility for your thoughts, emotions and feelings. Learn to acknowledge, accept and understand what goes inside your mind.Learn How to help yourself. Learn When to Ask for Help. Learn Whom to Ask for Help.
“Break-ups hurt. Rejections hurt. Failures hurt. But with this unbearable pain, comes clarity, resilience and understanding! Pain is one of the biggest teachers you’ll ever come across in your life. All you need to do for survival is to be patient while it teaches you major life lessons. Everything will make better sense some day in the future. All you need to do is hang in there!”
With a little bit of self-love, compassion and kindness, it is possible to manage your mental health. It’s okay not to be okay – as long as you know how to get back to being okay 🙂
Survivor Series Let’s Live 2020
I hope the Survivor Series 2020 and the 30 Stories of Survival that we are bringing to you from September 10 – October 10 would instill Hope and emphasise the Significance of Resilience in you. Do write to us at letslivekerala@gmail.com to share your feedback. We would love to hear from you!
Peace,
Sherin Noordheen
Founder-Director, Let’s Live
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