The Freedom Project — A Mental Health Project
What is the Freedom Project?
I started producing a documentary about mental health when I first learned about my own mental Illnesses 4 years ago.
Growing up in Africa, I’ve dreamed about playing soccer professionally. I worked hard and was very focused to achieve that goal. My best friend had the same goal and we played the same position.
We would constantly compete in the healthiest way. One afternoon, after a game we won, the whole team decided to go to the beach and celebrate our victory. None of us knew how to swim but we like walking in the water and try not to go too far. My best friend went too far and unfortunately drowned! It was the most traumatizing experience watching him slowly disappear and we couldn’t do anything to save him. After his funeral, I didn’t know how to feel about it and I just moved on by shoving all my emotions down. While I was going through that trauma, I found myself being molested by a family friend more than once! With that shame of feeling powerless and absolutely traumatized, I started losing love for the sport I grew up playing. I would get anxious, couldn’t breathe, and would choke in the middle of a car. I would run out wheezing and crying. Mind you, no one knew what was wrong with me including me. Mental health was not a topic back in Africa. In fact, there’s still a huge stigma. After numerous panic attacks, I decided to quit because I made myself believe that I wasn’t good enough! My confidence was so low that I developed a really bad stutter.
After I graduated high school, I told my parents that I want to travel and study abroad. However, I wanted to travel and start all over in a new environment. Maybe that would help me gain more confidence. However, my anxiety got worst! Being in an unfamiliar country that is filled with racial tension fueled my anxiety and depression. It was a whole new world for me. It wasn’t a great experience moving to the US with depression and anxiety and having to experience a new form of mental struggles.
Luckily I met some really good people that recommended that I see a therapist. It was absolutely the best decision I made! I had forgotten all the trauma I mentioned above. What we don’t remember will always hunt us until we do. Going through that healing process with a therapist guiding me changed my life. It helped me get back my confidence and oh yeah, my stutter just stopped! 😁 I’m still a work in progress but now I know what was wrong with me that caused me so much hardship.
Producing this documentary is my way of raising awareness about mental health. The first step to healing is awareness and I intend to be loud in this process. I believe the only way we can save this planet is to invest in people’s mental well-being.
If you made it to this point, thanks for reading. I look forward to sharing my journey and documentary!
