Long Beach City College concluded its Mental Health Speaker Series during May, amid Mental Health Awareness Month.
In a presentation called “How Storytelling is College Suicide Prevention 2.0,” speaker Josh Rivedal revealed his own personal story to encourage others to participate in storytelling to overcome depression, with an emphasis on the challenge starting with the individual.
According to Rivedal, “You’ve got to talk” yourself through mental depression.
During the series, he was very open in speaking about the therapists he had seen and worked with.
He spoke about how mental depression doesn’t control his life, but rather is a battle throughout his life journey.
To truly overcome a situation, Rivedal suggested understanding its roots.
Rivedal has battled through his seasons of loss, which were catalysts for his depression and anxiety.
A lost relationship, opportunity or even a financial loss, could all be reasons why people may subconsciously be feeding into their negative thoughts.
Rivedal experienced all three losses, causing him to feel hopeless. He said he considered that time to be one of the lowest of his life, with these traumatizing events leading to the need for mental help.
“I felt that nobody loved me, nobody cared for me and I was a burden,” Rivedal said.
He mentioned the importance of knowing how to help a friend or family member if they are at this stage of life. He said he was once a victim of his thoughts, and as a survivor, he gives his time to others.
Rivedal gave advice on how to balance helping others and still maintaining one’s own mental help.
“Health care is a collaborative process,” he said. He shared his own self-care tactics like practicing gratitude, listening to music, and giving attention to nature.
He also mentioned during the conversation that there are times when we have to focus on ourselves first.
“It’s not a no forever, it’s a no for now, We can’t help others until we find help for ourselves, first. I know that I have to constantly remind myself, if not daily, then weekly, that I need to ask for help,” Rivedal said.
The “magic formula” of how much mental help a person needs depends on the individual.
Josh Rivedal had the courage to tell his story to help himself in his battle with mental illness. Storytelling can inspire others to live mentally, well-proven by the #IAMPOSSIBLEPROJECT as people share their stories.
Mental help is provided by many sources for Long Beach City students, even during the quarantine. Resources include LBCC Counseling (562) 938-4210, LBCC COVID response, National Suicide Prevention Hotline, The Trevor Project, as well as the crisis text line.