by Camila B., CAST Treatment Centers Alumni
“Life as it is” — the celebrated phrase of Nelson Rodrigues leads us to a constant reflection of the world, of society and of ourselves. This constant search for self-knowledge and life purpose made me think about how we perceive the world and how we find ourselves in it.
We see life through lenses that, throughout our trajectory, have been shaped by our experiences. There are values, addictions, forces and points of development that form our perception. Through these lenses, I used to see a gray world. I’ve always had what I needed, both materially and emotionally. However, I lacked understanding in mental health and life has decided to teach me and wake me up in a brutal way to that matter.
During that process, I have learned that sharing experiences makes the journey smoother. In this way, I began to share through lectures with university and high school students about “Wellbeing and Mental Health“, my experience and knowledge that I had acquired from an experience with a disease as silent as depression.
I was invited to participate as a guest speaker to the “Valorização da vida” (Valuing Life) project here in Brazil, which seeks to open a dialogue with students about interpersonal relationships, values, bullying and mental health. Several role-playing activities and group discussions are proposed to the students, so as to develop in them a critical sense of humanistic education. The project has also been offered to elementary school students (final years) and has been a success. Our students have been empowered to help others and to understand that accepting help is fundamental to our evolution.
