Never Walk Alone

Never Walk Alone

Hello! Before I go and jump into things, I just want to give a huge shout out to Mitch for letting me write this post and feature it on this awesome blog. It’s something I’ve been keeping up with and wanting to do for a while, so I’m excited! Let’s jump into it.

My name is Ronnie Wollett and I grew up for half of my childhood in Clintonville, and the other half of my childhood/adult life in Worthington, Ohio. I give that background for anyone reading who isn’t familiar with where I am originally from, because it will give some insight into how I know Mitch. I want to talk to everyone today about the importance of taking care of your mental health, and how I have learned about its importance.

My journey through mental health has been long and arduous. That being said, it’s been formative, and has inspired me to grow in a way I never thought possible. To keep my journey as brief as possible, I have struggled with depression my entire life. For the majority of that time, I had no idea how to express to friends and family that I was naturally depressed. I have no verbiage or way to communicate my pain. That’s when I first began having suicidal ideation. From that point on in my mid teens, it was a constant struggle with my mind. All up until I attended Miami University, where I would experience the best of times, and the worst; an attempt on my life. In that moment I did not believe I would see the coming day. Yet, I stand here today writing to you. I am truly blessed.

From that dark moment, I began to address my mental illness with medication, therapy and intense introspection that would come to define my comprehensive journey into a greater state of mental maturity. I would learn to reach out to friends, family, and others for help when I needed it, and that became a cornerstone of recovery for me. Out of that, sprung the mental health organization I started at Ohio State called Never Walk Alone. Never Walk Alone aims to C.A.R.E: Connect students with other struggling with a mental illness or ones wanting to support, Advertise the university resources available to combat mental illness, Raise money for mental health organizations, and End the stigma surrounding mental health dialogue. It has quickly become one of the largest mental health organizations on campus, not only by volume, but by involvement and campus impact.

Many underestimate the power of reaching out, but I believe firmly that along with medication and therapy, peer support is one of the largest pillars in recovering from, living with, and thriving with a mental illness. Knowing that you are not alone, that you have a support network behind you that you can lean on goes further than most people think in regard to your mental health. My advice is always to learn about yourself as you walk through recovery, and to always make the hardest and best step, to reach out to others for their advice and help.

Recovery is never linear, and you CAN persevere. Whether you struggle or not, mental health is such an important part of anyone’s life, so know the signs of struggle, be able to help in a productive and safe manner, and look out for yourself and your friends. Make sure you or anyone you know, never walks alone. Those are some rules for a Greattastic Day!

Thank you again Mitch! I hope to write for you again. -Ronnie