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Local advocate works to end the stigma against mental health conditions

It's Mental Illness Awareness Month: A time to learn and listen to people battling those conditions.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly one in five adults lives with a mental health condition according to the National Institute of Mental health.

That's about 51.5 million people in the United States. The first week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week. It’s a time to learn and listen to those who battle these conditions.

One local medical health professional says it has a lot to do with understanding yourself. After recognizing and coping with her own anxiety, Roxy Slay has become an advocate for mental health and said she's fighting to get rid of the stigma against it. 

"When that stigma is taken away then people are more prone to actually go and get help," she said.

Anxiety is something Roxy Slay is familiar with. "You just go through life saying what's wrong with me or you know people will say what's wrong with you?" 

The answer, she said, is nothing and it's important for others to realize that many undergo the same feelings.

"We all battle something and so don't be afraid to reach out because there are a lot of people to hold your hand and walk with you, because they're walking too. They're walking that same path," Slay said.

She's found she's able to help others develop coping skills through practical steps and though self-expression. Slay finds her own peace through reading books. 

"I realized that my experience wasn't just an isolated experience. Somebody else had been through that and how they were able to cope with it. But if it's not from there of course you have therapists, you have different types of avenues and you can be very creative with how you self care," Slay said.

She volunteers at a new book shop on East Magnolia Avenue that specializes in Black affirming, Black empowering and Black authored literature for all ages.

"This space is therapeutic as a Black person because it's really a safe space for Black people to be where we have collections of books and music and people that have shared stories and shared experiences and it's a place where we can be because it can be very fragmenting."

Anyone can experience a mental health condition, especially right now during a global pandemic. For local resources, click here.

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