Image provided by artist, Briar Rose, who shares how reflection, art, and friendship offered healing in her grief journey. See her continue her grief journey healing at @briarrosesings

Imagine being different, being wired differently than everyone else. Feeling that you are driven by a motor at high speed that controls your mind and your body. Your mind racing and thoughts swirling around in your head, your body in motion and restless. You cannot focus which makes learning difficult.

As a young man, in a world where being open about mental health issues is stigmatized (especially for men), creating honest conversations around these topics is so important. I hope my story inspires others to contribute their voices to this conversation, and together we can take control of our mental health.

A small ten year old girl is sitting at her desk. She is shaking. She has two pencils ready just in case she runs out of lead. For three days she has been studying for this science test. She knew just about everything by heart when her mom quizzed her.