“Hi! My name is Shelby and I am from Michigan! My necklace represents awareness for C-PTSD, a mental illness I have become extremely familiar with over the last 10 months. I am a survivor of over 10 years of emotional, verbal, and physical abuse from my biological dad. When I was 18 I tried shoving everything that had happened to me in a tiny box, but last October at the age of 21 it all came flooding back to me at one time. I could barley function. I was having constant severe emotional and physical flashbacks to the point where I would lose all sense of reality and was quickly spiraling into a darkness to the point where I couldn’t find my way out. I felt like I was in a thousand pieces and there was no coming back from it. Thankfully my cousin recognized quickly that I needed help. She tried helping me by teaching me different tools I had through Jesus Christ and when I still was having insane panic attacks and flashbacks, we decided I needed more help. I started going to see a psychiatrist where I was diagnosed with complex PTSD, accompanied with high response anxiety. After almost a year of figuring out how to navigate through my past, I am starting to be in a place where I am thriving managing my PTSD and want to speak out. Between my family and my relationship with Christ I have been able use God’s word to ground myself. Now I am able to be a voice, because I know what it feels like to hide in the shadows and feel like you have to struggle alone...and no one should have to.” @shelby_slaz