SAN ANTONIO — Claudia Vargas once considered ending her own life. Now she's helping others to understand there's hope.
"Growing up, I didn't think there was anyone else struggling like me, which led me to a lot of thinking that...I was alone in feeling suicidal," Vargas said. "Eventually I found the peer groups like NAMI connection where you talk to people like yourself and realize you are definitely not alone."
She'll join hundreds of people uniting to promote mental health at the National Alliance of Mental Illness's walk next Saturday at Morgan's Wonderland (to learn more or sign up, click here).
All are invited to take part, both to show support and to form bonds with the community.
"We need your help. We need your donation. But more importantly, we want to grow a movement, so this year we would like to just pack Morgan's Wonderland- with people and compassion," said NAMI San Antonio Executive Director Terri Mabrieto. "That's the most important thing of all."
Also ahead is World Mental Health Day, where San Antonians can learn coping skills to protect their own mental health. To learn more and to find other resources through NAMI, click here.
Now a peer policy fellow advocating on behalf of others, Vargas is currently working on efforts to request a three-digit help line for people in need of immediate mental health support. To learn more about the campaign, click here.
"Just because you are struggling with a mental health condition doesn’t mean your life is over or you should give up on yourself- quite the opposite," Vargas said. "It just means you fight a different way and you live life in another wonderful way."