Mental health awareness campaigner needs your support

Mental health awareness campaigner needs your support

By Liz Lockhart

Skrilla UGQ recently contacted Mental Healthy in the hope that we would spread the word about a campaign she recently started.  The campaign is aimed at promoting the understanding of mental health problems, drug abuse, and to help and inspire all those who are affected, directly and indirectly by these issues.

Skrilla is the daughter of a mother with drug abuse issues and a father with mental health problems.  Despite spending the first six years of her life in an environment that was riddled with difficulties and then being taken from her home, Skrilla has triumphed over her difficult and traumatic start in life.

Skrilla’s campaign is called ‘Make it Worth It’.  The campaign takes her to schools and colleges to spread the word that it doesn’t matter where you come from, it is where you are going that is important.  Skrilla hopes that by telling her own story to young people it will help others who may have been affected by mental health problems, either directly or indirectly, to open up and encourage them to get talking.  She is also passionate about reducing the stigma which still surrounds mental health problems.

Skrilla is a female vocal artist from Bristol.  She tells us that her campaign is close to her heart and that she knows from her own experience that where you come from does not determine where you are going.  Currently Skrilla is giving talks in her local area of Bristol but hopes to spread the word throughout the whole of the UK.

Skrilla considers herself to be very lucky as she did not have to go into the care system.  Her Aunt took her into her home.  She tells us ‘I was extremely lucky to have such a wonderful auntie who took me in to live with her.  If it wasn’t for her I don’t know where I would have ended up.  Things were hard but she is such a loving and courageous woman – she helped make me be the woman I am today.’  Despite the love she received from her Aunt, it obviously could not erase the pain she felt at the loss of her home, Skrilla missed her parents deeply.

‘As I got older I realised I did not fully understand what was going on.  For many years I believed my Mum was dying and I just wanted my Dad to be ‘normal’ so badly.  I was a daddy’s girl and through all his issues he would still bend over backwards to give me the world.’

Despite having such a traumatic start in life Skrilla says that she decided at a very young age that she had choices and her first choice was to make a success of her life.  She was determined not to let where she had come from determine where she was going. 

Skrilla felt that people had low expectations of her because of the unfortunate situation that her parents were in.  She tells us ‘In school I always tried my best – even on days when I was feeling down – I used it as motivation to take steps to make my life better.’

When talking to school and college students Skrilla hopes to make them realise they are not alone and gives practical advice about the organisations which are there to help.  She hope to provide motivation to succeed to those going through similar experiences.  She also performs her song ‘Make It Worth It’ which we have embedded at the head of this report so that you can also share its message.

Skrilla needs help from supporters who would be prepared to distribute campaign information which also includes organisational support.  If you feel that you could offer this help please contact Skrilla by email  - [email protected]

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