“I am currently Active Duty in the United States Marine Corps as a 0811 Cannoneer! I have also started a company @shanthehappybeangirl but it’s WAY more than just coffee! The Happy Bean Project is transitioning to a nonprofit coffee shop! For every 2 bags sold 1 is donated to the homeless shelters and mental health facilities. We will go to these facilities and make coffee for the people along with providing resources and help. We provide resources for people suffering with bipolar, PTSD, depression, anxiety and more. The goal is to save lives. To help prevent suicides and to get people talking about mental health. This is a big reason why I support @awarecauses I personally have been though sexual trauma in my past that has led to extreme moods including depression. That is why I bought the color white neckless. Support this project by buying your coffee bag or happy beanie today at: www.thehappybeanproject.com” @shanthehappybeangirl
]]>"I'm truly in love with my A.W.A.R.E. necklace. It represents mental health which affects so much of my life & a lot of people in it. I noticed it when I was a young teenager. Constantly nervous, upset stomach, overwhelmed with worry, shortness of breath, looming doom, tightness in the chest, spiraling thoughts of worst case scenarios, tunnel vision, perpetual abdominal pain & cramps, diarrhea was a regular occurrence - the lists goes on. I didn't know it had a name. I didn't know I could manage it. I didn't know other people felt the same way. At that time, it just was was it was. In my late teens I got sick. I had to leave my job. Turns out I was suffering from IBS induced by stress and anxiety. The entire situation through me into a depression. I went on medication to manage my anxiety & depression. In my early 20s I learnt some things. Anxiety, panic & depression were ruling my life. Medication helped. I could learn coping skills. And soooo many people struggle with variations of similar feelings. I started telling the people closest to me what I was going through and a lot of them could relate in one way or another. Turns out mental illness runs in my family. Specifically depression. I was determined to get a handle on things. So, I went to therapy once a week for over a year, unpacked some issues, learnt so many coping skills & got off my meds. I felt equipped to manage my anxiety and panic. I managed it pretty well for almost 10 years with a few attacks here & there. Then, in March, I experienced the trauma of losing my baby girl and I was enveloped in grief. On top of that, every management tool I had ever learnt completely vanished. My anxiety & panic was off the chart and I felt out of control. I leaned on family & friends, got medication again and started therapy again. I relearned skills that I had been using and learnt new tools & techniques. I'm managing my anxiety better. I'm still in a fragile state which makes things difficult & I'll continue to work on it." @stephanieraevh
]]>“I was born and raised in Redding, CA, and ever since I was young I’ve struggled with severe depression and anxiety. Throughout the course of my life, countless mood swings onset by mental illness pushed me to chase darkness and solitude. I was bullied when I was little, and that lead to such bad anxiety at school I couldn’t even walk into the cafeteria to eat. I would just sit by the math building and think about why people thought I was so different. These feelings have not gone away, overtime I’ve just learned how to control them better. I used to be really confused of my purpose here, I didn’t understand why my life was important. Through artwork and self care I have regained mental stability and am striving to make changes. One of my main projects is Moody Clothing Co.- I’ve spent the last three years building this brand with the goal to promote healthy living and spread overall love for those with similar struggles. My objective is to spread knowledge and awareness of an issue that may be invisible, but can be completely crippling. I want this world to be a better place- remember, don’t let your mind eat you alive.” @moodyclothingco
]]>“Hi my name is James I am from Kent. Depression... Like quicksand, you do not know you're stuck in it usually until its caught you then slowly consumed you. This was how it was for me. I felt the weight of the world on my body. Felt like I was in a room full of people but alone at the bottom of the ocean with the weight of the sea pushing Down on me. Some people like myself are lucky enough to break free from what can feel like and overbearing weight upon your body and mentality. But others need someone to hand them that branch. To help them to break free from the clutches of quicksand. I want to help others do. Just that. To tell themselves that good is never good enough if it can be better And better is never good if it can be best. You can achieve what others believe is impossible. A strong body is only achieved with a strong mind a strong mind is only achieved with and unbreakable spirit. I wear my necklace to openly show my support towards mental health and to hope that it makes me approachable for people to reach out.” @james.botting
]]>“Hi! My name is delaney and I’m raising awareness for depression. As a teenager, it’s normal to have mood swings from time to time but sometimes, this can easily mask depression. The shame that ties with having a mental illness can be really defeating. asking for help used to always make me feel different and not as other people. At this age, many people don’t understand what these invisible illnesses really entail but I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to share my story and hopefully enlighten others on the struggles of depression. I have met countless amazing people through recovery and have learned a lot about myself and being vulnerable. I’m glad to represent with @awarecauses and raise awareness because I’ve learned how important it is, especially at my age. Lot of love!” @smiley.delaney
]]>“Hello! I'm Johanne and I'm wearing white for mental illness. I'm currently in hospital suffering from schizotipal disorder and depression. The days are long and difficult, but I find tremendous support on Instagram. For me everyday is up and down, and I'm looking forward to a period of stability so I can move home again. If you are struggling, I will encourage you to seek help. Because help and better times are out there. For me I have been struggling to see that, but as time goes on, I know now that something good is in the horizon. Be patient, and seek help. If you want, you can check out my Instagram profile where I post what I call Hospitals notes. Hope you're all well.” @johanneaaltonen
]]>“I wear my white AWARE necklace because I am passionate about changing how we talk about and respond to mental and emotional distress. If someone says they have a physical injury, we do our best to help them heal as quickly as possible but if someone tells us they are in emotional or mental pain we back off because we are not taught how to deal with it, it scares people. We are taught to hide it, not to feel it. Through my struggles with mental health I became so afraid and ashamed of my own mind that I hid myself and lied about who I was and how I was. I looked like I was doing OK, but I was slowly killing my self. I want it to be the new ‘normal’ to talking about being addicted, having an eating disorder or owning your self harm scars, to tell people you have trauma, that you feel anxious or depressed. I want it to be ‘normal’ to know how to adapt around mental health issues the same way we would if a part of our physical body was broken or breaking. We need to teach each other how to handle our minds and how to love ourselves inclusively. Check out @the.mind.gym for more like this. We’d love to have you as part of the community.” @the.mind.gym
]]>“Growing up my mom always spoke about having depression, but I didn’t actually know what that was until about 3 years ago. I knew my mom got extra sad sometimes and it was important to give her space if she needed it or hugs, a lot of hugs if she had a bad day. When I got older I found out depression could lead to suicide! It made me think... maybe the small things I did as a child really made a difference in my mom’s life and could be a huge reason as to why she got help. What if more people were aware of mental illnesses and we were able to stop many of the issues depression causes? This thought led me to the idea and creation of @awarecauses” @pierson_williams
]]>“Hi, my name is Adele! I chose the white necklace for mental health awareness and engraved my Dad’s initials JZ on the back. He passed away 3 months ago. My father lived with unaddressed bipolar disorder. His unreliability and boundary invading behaviors led to debilitating anxiety and depression in my life and inadvertently hurt his three other children so much so that two didn’t feel comfortable or ready to attend his funeral. He fought prostate and eye cancer to which he lost an eye, almost two. I personally lost 6 important people in the short time span of two years. I was in so much pain and depression, I questioned whether I should even bother be alive. On February 25th, my Dad passed on, and it all clicked. I saw the person, not the illness. I also saw my own growth because of these experiences. Empowering yourself with mental health education and sharing resources to cope is vital and what I want to share for the rest of my life.“ @azensapien
]]>“My name is Emilie and I am 26 years old. I was born and raised in Queens, NYC, but I have lived in Hilton Head Island, South, Carolina since I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder in 2015. I was so excited to find out about A.W.A.R.E and their mission and couldn’t wait to join the movement. I live with an Invisible Illness but a very real illness. I believe that everyone should be AWARE of mental illnesses and those living with a mental illness shouldn’t be ashamed. That is why I am so open about my condition and share as much as I can. My illness sometimes torments me, but it has made me the person I am today. It has given me such a greater sense of self awareness, a new level of sympathy for others, and has proven my strength and ability to overcome my internal battles day after day. It is not an easy feeling to lose touch with reality. It is extremely difficult to fight my brain when it tells me life isn’t worth living. I strive to never give up that fight and continue to hold on to hope. Hope for my future, and the future of everyone that has a mental health condition. You cannot have health without mental health and that is something I learned the hard way. This necklace to me is a constant way to fight the stigma surrounding mental illness and to spread knowledge and awareness to anyone who will listen! It is a symbol of how far I have come from the day I was diagnosed in the hospital— a day that I believed nobody understood me and that they never would; to today— where I am a proud mental health advocate, a volunteer for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), helping others and helping myself.” @emilie.reid.93
]]>“We are all just human beings trying to navigate through life in our own best way. I used to think anxiety was a foreign concept and I’m such an incredibly blessed person I never really had anything to worry about. Adulthood slowly swept in and my adolescence was fleeting. In 49 days I’ll be removing myself from my comfort zone and moving to another country and I can’t even describe how I feel. But I have to get my mind right. Let your brain prioritize your brain. Mental health is so important we all need to be aware of it and actively improving it so we can optimize our maximum human potential! We are all extraordinary, let’s let our mental feel that way too. This meaningful necklace is a conversation starter and does exactly what is spelled out across the triangle. We need to talk more and be healthy and be a.w.a.r.e of each other.” @artofbeingahuman
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"The way I feel can sometimes be an ordeal. The way I think isn't always in sync. The way I act, is counterintuitive in fact. My name is @montielitaa and I am aware. I am aware of the impact that mental illness has on people. I want others to be aware. I want us all to be aware enough that we actually *need* to do something about it. Mental illness is everywhere. More than half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental disorder in their lifetime. Picture this: Every 5th person you see when you are walking down the street is fighting a deep inner battle. I will display this necklace in honor of those people. My story? A small victory. I caught myself spiraling into mad depression and anxiety after a series of toxic and abusive relationships. I say "caught myself" because I figured out how to take control of the demons that pester me before it was too late. Everyday is a new day, and a chance to be free." @montielitaa
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"I brought the white necklace for mental health. I've struggled my mental health since I was 12 years old. I can't remember what it's like to not have them anymore. In 2016 I was diagnosed with Anorexia and Borderline Personality Disorder. These years have been so hard but with support I've got through and I keep fighting. Every single day is a struggle for me though. This cause is important to me because I don't want anyone to have to go through what I've been through. No one should feel like they are alone bur so many people do. Silence kills so being able to raise awareness means the world to me because even if I just help one person then I have made a difference." @charlotte_recovery
]]>"Hey everyone! I’m Taylor, I am 28 and from Wisconsin. I choose to wear this white necklace from @awarecauses to represent my struggle with anxiety. When I was 11, I would cry all of the time because I was so worried about everything. People would tell me to “just stop worrying” and I couldn’t. I would keep my family up at night because of my excessive worrying. My parents were doing everything they could to help me. At 13, my anxiety just kept getting worse. I worried about literally everything. No one knew what was going on or how to help me anymore not even the doctors. Nothing was working. So I was hospitalized due to my mental health. They ended up diagnosing me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. Sounds simple enough to most people but I literally had to learn how to cope and stop worrying because for whatever reason that did not come naturally for me. It took years of therapy. I am now 28 and I still suffer from anxiety and depression but I am now able to cope and control my thoughts better with the skills I have learned and with the help of medication. It doesn’t come easy and I still have some really tough times. I find it best to just take life one day at a time. I always thought there was something wrong with me. There isn’t. There is just lack of knowledge. That’s why It’s important to me that I share my story and keep on sharing it. Anxiety disorders affect 18.1% of Adults in the United States every year." @tayjaee
]]>"My name is Lexi, and I have high-functioning anxiety. For as long as I can remember, I’ve dealt with anxiety one way or another. Whether it was OCD habits, being afraid of the dark, making myself sick if I had to go somewhere without my family, or hurting myself so I could get out of something at school. As an adult, I was finally diagnosed and am on medication. I still have anxiety attacks and many things trigger it, but it is so much better! Having to go to an appointment, someplace new, meeting new people, or even making a phone call, all get me anxious. I get sick, my heart races, I cry, I talk myself out of going places, and sometimes just ignore people, especially those I love. I chose the white necklace to represent mental health. My brother committed suicide last year, so naturally my anxiety became worse. I’ve finally gotten back on my feet and am in a good place mentally. It is now my passion to keep myself in a good place, as well as help others struggling with mental health!" @lexnelson14
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"My name is Alex, I'm 15. (I'm non-binary but that story isn't about it.) By my necklace I want to raise awareness about teenage mental illness. Half a year ago I was diagnosed with mild depression and low social phobia. There was a lot of bad things in my life: I was bullied, my friends left me, my parents were working all the time, I was addicted to self harming, I was stressed because of school, dysphoria and more. I wish I could tell that now everything is fine but it would be a lie. I'm still fighting. That's one of the reasons I chose that necklace-it reminds me I'm not the only one struggling. During last few months I started to be more open about my story and I met a lot of people at my age who also have mental health problems. The defect is that nobody see us-broken teenagers. People think that things like that are completely normal at that age. But we have to start seeing the difference between small, short problems and real depression. If we were more aware maybe the second cause of teenage death wouldn't be suicide. I wear that necklace for every teenager who is fighting, and for the ones who are already gone from that world. We have to hold together. We have to stay strong. We have to survive." @funeral.lilly
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"Hi! My name is Lyanne, and I’m from Seattle, WA. I wear my AWARE necklace with pride. Living with depression and anxiety, I know what it’s like to feel ashamed of my mental illness, but I’ve learned that healing comes with acceptance. I hold space for my mental illness by talking about it with friends, working to break the stigma, and living each day with a grateful heart and a mindful soul. I may not be an expert of mental illness, but I can be a friend to you in your times of both darkness and light." @llllllllyanne
]]>Hi! My name is Lena. I am 23 years old. I am wearing white for mentalhealth. I’ve been dealing with body dysmorphia (feeling like the ugliest person on earth), suicidal thoughts and obsessive compulsive disorder for almost 10 years now. It all started when I got acne at the age of 13. I always felt like my skin is so ugly, gross and that this is everything that people see or what matters most about me. A year and a half ago I had a big mental breakdown when I didn’t leave my bed anymore and couldn’t go to work. I finally decided to start a therapy and take medication. It will probably never be totally gone. But it’s gotten a lot better. And now I am here to raise awareness and share my story, because I feel like we need to end the bad stigma around mental health." @mylifeinmyskin
]]>"My name is Kim and I am proud to be wearing this AWARE necklace signifying mental health awareness and the struggles I have dealt with throughout my life. For more than half of my life I have lived with anorexia, bipolar and anxiety. I was first diagnosed with anorexia at age 14 and the subsequent diagnoses came not long after. I have spent the last 15 years in and out of hospitals and clinics, I don’t even know how many admissions there have been. However I hold onto hope that one day things will get better, one day I’ll be free from this torment in my mind. Mental illness is not a fun time for anyone but to raise awareness around the topic, I believe is so important. This necklace signifies my struggle, but it also signifies a step towards mental health awareness and helping people to understand what really lies beneath. Thank you AWARE causes for inviting me to be a part of this movement." @kimmyj_p
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"Hi! I’m Emily from New York and I’m wearing white for Mental Health. I lost my younger brother, Reed, to Suicide in 2014 when he was 17 years old. He wasn’t what people thought of when they thought of suicide. He was the popular kid in school, the captain of the football team, and so incredibly kind. It took me a very long time to feel comfortable sharing his story, not because I was ashamed or embarrassed, but because I didn’t think people really understood. In talking about Reed, I have been touched by so many others who have dealt with their own mental health or connection to Suicide. Mental health doesn’t discriminate and really impacts so many of us. Talking about it has helped me become more aware of my own mental health and better able to address anxiety and depression. There is strength in asking for help and speaking up to break the stigma that surrounds Mental Health. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255." @emily.derrenbacher
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“Hi, my name is Jordyn, I live in Flagstaff, AZ, and I wear white to raise awareness for invisible and mental illnesses. I have struggled with anxiety for my entire life and was unable to receive treatment until 8 years ago. Around that time, I also began to become chronically ill. Raising awareness is very important for me, because of the way mental health and invisible conditions are currently treated in the medical field. People seem to go on the consensus of "if you cannot see it, it doesn't exist". These past 8 years, I have had to fight my way through mountains of stigma and unbelief, to receive help. Some of the invisible illnesses I have are rare. They include, but are not limited to: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Erythromelalgia, Hereditary Lymphedema, and POTS. The mental health conditions I deal with include, but are not limited to: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Depression, and OCD. While I am mostly homebound and at times bedbound, I will not stop my efforts in raising awareness. My hope is that one day, a person can get treatment without fear of judgment. I want them to be able to access care and have options available to them. My story is a long and arduous one, too long to completely recount here. However, I can say that having invisible/and or mental illnesses does not define you. That is why I love these AWARE necklaces so much. It allows someone to raise awareness in a way that is comfortable. You do not have to march on the streets of Washington to bring awareness to your condition/cause. These necklaces are a perfect way to start. Always remember, you may have these illnesses, but they do not get to have you.” @thechronicallyunimaginable
]]>“Hi I’m Jamie and I’m from Orlando Florida. Growing up, I always felt different. The way I thought and the way I felt wasn’t normal, but I never knew exactly what it was so I went about life thinking everyone was the same way. I can trace my very first anxiety attack all the way back to when I was three years-old. Of course, we wouldn’t have called it that then – just a kid having a meltdown, right? Well that moment was the beginning of what would be the rest of my life battling anxiety. By the age of eight, I began to take notice of my body in comparison to other girls. I was humiliated in my ballet class by my teacher for having my belly out. I was told (in front of everyone) that it looked as though I had swallowed a basketball for lunch. By age eleven, my big challenge to take on in life was middle school – my worst nightmare. I was a socially awkward, shy, and sensitive kid – middle school ate me alive. As fate would have it, this stage of life is where my eating disorder began to take its form and depression wasn’t too far behind it. I hated myself and I hated my body. I remember the moment I decided I would start skipping meals. I was sitting in front of a mirror studying my body and as I saw the purple stripes begin to form on my inner thighs, I needed a plan of action – and fast. Restriction was my method of controlling my weight up until the 10th grade when I discovered bingeing and purging. The self-hatred I felt for my body only increased as I allowed others to disrespect it. Girls belittled me, boys abused me, and I abused myself. This white necklace, I wear to represent my invisible illnesses. Anxiety, depression, and OCD. The periwinkle necklace, I wear to represent my eating disorder. These necklaces represent hope that these invisible illnesses will be brought to light and that individuals will come forward and share their story. I’m grateful for the opportunity @awarecauses has given me and many others to be able to share our stories.” @speak_up_speak_now
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