Born and raised in Chicago, writer Shanna Red has endured her share of mental health challenges in her life. She lived in multiple foster homes throughout her childhood until she was 19. The inability to deal with these challenges caused her to consider suicide many times. Now, she is in a good place mentally and wants to share her story with others.
The title of your memoir, Mentally Branded, what does that mean?
Mentally Branded is the sequel to my first book, Legally Branded. What it means is that being mentally ill comes with stigmatization, and people often think that you are weak-minded. They may believe that taking medication for depression and anxiety is a waste as if it’s not an illness that needs medication.
How severe was your depression at the time?
My depression and anxiety used to be so severe that I wanted to commit suicide more than once. I was institutionalized a few times, and it scared me. Therapy and medication didn’t work for me until I met a husband-and-wife therapist and psychiatrist. The psychiatrist took me off my old meds and prescribed a whole different regimen of medication, and it worked over a few months. The therapist gave me tools to combat my thoughts of feeling depressed, including meditation with music and mindfulness. The moral of this story is that it takes time to get the results you need to feel better, just like with any other ailment. I haven’t relapsed in five years, and I’m excited about it.
You mention that you sought help from a husband-and-wife team who are equipped to deal with mental health issues. How did their input help you?
My mental health team, a husband and wife, stood out from my past mental health professionals. [In] my first appointment with the husband, the psychiatrist, he looked at me and said he was going to take me off the medication I was on because I wasn’t smiling and that I was overly medicated. I was scared, but we worked on changing my medication weekly. My therapist, the wife, had a different approach from my past therapists. She looked at me and knew I had ADHD and that something about me was unresolved. I told her I had insomnia and that I get very depressed when I don’t get sleep. She suggested that I listen to music. It took a couple of weeks because I didn’t believe that listening to music would help me get some sleep.
What advice would you give to others who find themselves in similar situations?
A good question! I was reaching out to churches, places to volunteer, or people I knew, and I didn’t realize that I had to reach within and train my negative thinking into positive thinking. My therapist and psychiatrist helped, too. My advice to people who feel like there’s no hope is to write affirmations daily and know that there is another chance to get it right, and it’s called “tomorrow.” Also, read my books, Legally Branded and Mentally Branded.
Shanna Red on @facebook.com: @shanna_red
Instagram: @shanna_red
Books can be found on Amazon.
If your or someone you know needs help, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
