A Co Tyrone mental health worker has spoken of her own struggles with depression that led to her dream job caring for others with mental illness.
Karen Elliott, from Castlederg, fell into depression at the age of 15 when her mother passed away, and suffered mental health issues for many years as a result.
Now, she is putting her own experiences to use working as a mental health peer educator with local health and social care organisations.
Karen said she now has her ‘dream job’, but said she was fortunate to have help from friends, family and health professionals to get her through the dark days.
“When my mother died, I felt very low and didn’t know how to get over her loss, life was so hard,” Karen told MyTyrone.
“I was diagnosed with depression at 15 and I continued to have ups and downs over the years.
“It has taken lots of hard work, determination and belief that things will get better to get to where I am today.
“I was fortunate to have help from my best friend, my family and health professionals.
“I managed to fight through with lots of support and self-determination, I learnt how to manage my mental health better, but I know it isn’t the same for everyone.”
Karen has had various job roles from dentistry to sales but her own personal experience with mental health led to securing her dream job as a Peer Educator with the EU funded CAWT Innovation Recovery Project, where she helps people on their journey to wellness through her own lived experience.
Working alongside local health trusts, Karen now helps others struggling with mental health issues to deal with them and says she wants to change people’s attitudes to mental health.
She added: “I absolutely love my job! Through sharing experiences and knowledge on mental health, I support people to gain skills and develop tools to help them self-manage their own well-being.
“It is also important to give hope and optimism to others and the belief that life will get better with the correct support, as it has for me.
“I am so passionate about what I do because I have lived my whole life with a mental health condition and I’m now thriving rather than surviving.
“I want to change people’s attitudes towards mental health and love that I have the opportunity to do just that in my job.”
