such a great question to start of with @Ru-bee !!
What is the role of peer support and connection in terms of your mental health recovery?
Peer support meant so much to me, especially because I was brought up feeling really invalidated by both my family and friends, I consistently felt unseen, unheard and like an outsider. I spent most of my childhood and adolescence feeling so lonely, like nobody would ever understand me and that there was something wrong with me. Connecting with others, especially PoC with similar lived experiences, connecting with my new GP and my psychologists made such a difference. After spending time being heard and validated by them, and learning from their experiences too, I finally felt like there was space for me in this world and that I do belong. My courage to even start mental health recovery journey was thanks to connections I made with people who had similar experiences as me, they gave me hope that things can and will get better, made me feel less lonely and most importantly, made me feel like I wasn't 'abnormal' for the feelings and thoughts I've had. Recently this forum has also been another one of those peer support spaces where I've been learning soooo much more and hearing everyone's journeys and the strength that they've shown just keeps inspiring me 💗
