Ep. 34: A Conversation With Stigma Fighter – Sarah Fader - a podcast by Josh Becker: Speaker, Author, Teacher

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We all know what it’s like to be around people who really matter to us and we also know what it’s like to be by ourselves. Unfortunately, it’s all too often when things aren’t going well in our lives that our first instinct is to retreat and isolate.

Of course the problem with isolating without the support of others is that we do it when we need support the most. To make matters even worse, in addition to the uncomfortable feelings we feel (the ones that sent us into isolation) we then have shame on the back end. In other words, we often times feel guilty (it’s actually shame) or ashamed for having those feelings in the first place. That shame sets up what we call a shame-bind. The bind is that we feel “bad” and then feel shame and the shame keeps us feeling bad and the feeling bad keeps us feeling shame. A crazy cycle, I know!

Well my friend Sarah Fader is doing everything she can to help contradict this vicious cycle. Specifically, she’s helping those that are challenged by mental health disorders. It’s hard enough when we’re experiencing big feelings and we go and isolate but what about those that suffer from even more severe and often repetitive disorders?

There’s a stigma with having a mental health disorder and it strengthens the barrier between isolation and community. It also strengthens that shame-bind I talked about. It’s a whopping combination of isolation and shame and it leaves no relief for those that need it the most.

This is why Sarah, who also suffers from Panic Attacks, has created a Not-for-profit Organization called Stigma Fighters. Sarah’s mission is to give those that suffer from mental illness a voice and a place to call home. Sarah’s planning to travel to Colleges and Universities around the Country to create Stigma Fighter Chapters. It’s an amazing cause and one that I certainly stand behind. It’s exactly why I wanted you all to hear about it.

You may not suffer from mental illness yourself but you likely know someone who does. You certainly know what that isolation and shame feels like and here’s an opportunity for us to all do something about it. Sarah is running a fundraising campaign to help support this incredible cause. There’s not a whole lot of time left for this fundraising effort so now is the time to help.

If you’d like to donate to Sarah’s cause visit her FundDreamer site by clicking here!

To find out more about Sarah and Stigma Fighters you can visit her site by clicking here!

Further episodes of The I Simply Am Podcast: Mindfulness | Self Love | Self Awareness

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