In a world ravaged by individualism, ego, and a phobia for emotional and mental vulnerability, it is easy to find people across generations suffering within and unwilling to share or seek help. This trend, exacerbated by the insensitive desire to silence voices that erroneous ideologies perceive as weakness and the unfortunate stigma that comes with mental struggles in societies, has gone on for years, leading to the mental health crisis that the world faces today.
So, when we sat down with Christina Izokovic, a Mental Health Advocate with a passion to drive helpful conversations and help individuals live their best lives, it was a witty encounter. Christina led us on a deep dive into territories that most shy away from. Brazenly, yet vulnerably, she encapsulates the idea of a life-long search for answers and leading thousands along the way to Health, freedom, and lasting happiness.
Nursing the Embers of Mental Health Advocacy
From thriving as a Registered Nurse (RN) for 15 years to building a career in Case Management and Biotech Medical Sales, and then becoming a full-time mum, one thing that has become clearer to Christina is the struggle that people face daily. “There is a yearning to be heard, to be encouraged, to be loved and cared for. People are going through a lot of mental traumas and just need that safe space that therapy provides,” she begins.
Now a Mental Health Advocate, using the medium of Social Media, Christina has built a community where everyone feels safe enough to be vulnerable and share their deep fears, anxieties, and mental traumas. “I now have about 100,000 followers on Tiktok after just 18 months, over 1,300 subscribers on Youtube and more than 7,000 followers on Instagram. My platform, ‘Why Not Be Authentic™,’ is a community dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health,” she affirms.
Promoting Openness and Honesty
The world currently thrives on false display of strength, often short-lived, because it’s impossible to fake strength for so long. Soon enough, the struggling individual, if they fail to embrace their fears and struggles, and tackle them head-on, would crumble like a pack of loose cards. This was the sum of Christina’s insightful charge for people to be open about their feelings, especially if they’re hurtful.
The essence of her community, “Why Not Be Authentic?” Is to create a judgment-free space with helpful resources to assist people overcome mental traumas and enjoy true freedom. “The key is to create a safe space for difficult conversations to thrive,” she says. “Oftentimes, we find that humans are pretty judgmental, their minds filled with stereotypes and prejudices. That is wrong. Therapy should create a safe space.
“An individual suffering from mental health struggles of any sort, should be able to unpack all the pent up, difficult emotions during therapy, and the therapist has a duty to listen. That’s the beauty of it,” she adds.
For someone who has struggled with mental health traumas herself, having the courage to be a beacon of support to other individuals is truly inspiring. It takes great courage and love for self and others. In June of 2023, my Mental Health was deteriorating rapidly due to childhood trauma, Complex PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Perimenopausal symptoms starting at 32, and newly diagnosed with ADHD. I was falling apart.
“I was now a parent, with all of those emotions and feelings and traumas. I just masked them all and ignored them until they got out of hand. So, I went on Short term Disability in July-August 2023 to focus on prioritizing my Mental Health, which included seeing a Therapist and a Psychiatrist. I think what eventually really helped was tracing the root causes of all the traumas and being open about them. That is why I believe Openness can go a long way,” she notes.
Help Comes from Vulnerability
Trying to be all macho and strong, suppressing hurtful emotions and traumas, and ignoring the signs of mental health struggles can be detrimental. It only takes one trigger and an implosion or explosion occurs.
She underscores the importance of vulnerability and being as honest as possible when undergoing therapy, as that is one way to get help, and to get it quickly too.
