Michaela S. Brossman

3 years ago, I had a month-long hospitalization that was very traumatic, and it ruined the foundations of what helped me feel grounded and safe. I was forced to come to terms with the condition of my body, my mind, and my emotions. I lived in a constant state of either fear, pain, ignorance, or numbness. 

 

Isolated in a hospital room with little to no contact with friends and family, I developed depression. My self-confidence cracked and my faith in other people destroyed. I had little hope for my future, and lost my way in understanding myself and what I wanted. 

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Faced with the unknown of how serious my condition was, and being stabbed by needles nearly every day, I developed anxiety. The fear of having no control over what will happen to my body and enduring consistent pain was hard to bear. What could I do to help myself get through it?

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I learned about the practice of mindfulness in the lowest point of my teenage life, and it helped me pick up the pieces of my hope and my control. I wanted to feel better, and I believed I could.

 

I want to share this practice with others my age, so they may be able to cope with their own thoughts and emotions in a healthy way. I want to help others in facing their demons, so at least one other person is able to pull themselves out of a bad mindset.  

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My reliance on medication and heavy steroids throughout my recovery made me question our country's medical system. Why are pharmaceuticals always the answer? This fueled my interest in the topic of non-holistic treatments for mental illnesses, and how different the impact of holistic treatments are. (More about this in my research paper in                         ).