Live Free 999 encourages everyone to speak openly about mental health. We have created a space to share the stories sent to us from our audience to inspire others to share their own journeys, creating a virtual story-telling chain of community and support.
Notice: Some of the stories shared may contain topics that could be emotionally triggering to some members of our audience. Topics such as suicide, self-harm, substance abuse, and trauma are discussed.
Hi I’m Kingsley, I’m 27 recovering from substance, pills addiction. I started doing drugs when I was in 3rd year in my country educational system. It was hard for me to differentiate between reality and fiction, I’d sleep and wake up with a different reality everyday thinking perhaps I’m better off dead than alive. So many hate and hurtful traumatic
My name is Taylor. I work as a waitress at a club, and I went in on my birthday to work. I was supposed to have friends waiting on the go ahead to come and help celebrate with me; instead, I had one of the most overwhelming anxiety attacks I’ve had in a while. I called my best friend, and
I grew up as a kid with ADHD, and also for the longest time hid part of myself. I am LGBTQ. I was never really able to cope with my neurodivergence properly until I got much older, I am 23 years old now. If anything from this I want you all to take from this that you can make it
I have come from a long line of abuse in the family. I have fought through several addictions and beat them cold turkey. Pills being one. I’ve survived my suicide attempt. I just want to help this world see the potential and beauty it has. Im 23. I don’t get to see my kids everyday anymore, I’m now 900 miles
Hi, my name is Boris. I suffered from an anxiety disorder for many months. I was consumed by depression and anxiety, the fear that all my loved ones would die. I had an unnatural fear of death… The negative thoughts that caused me panic attacks were getting worse and worse. I tried to find a way to be alone. Loneliness
Hi, so I’ve been basically battling anxiety since I was about 4 or 5 years old. I witnessed a boy half my age or older die and drown right in front of me, and I’ve been traumatized from the past ever since. I blame myself for his death because I couldn’t be of help to him while he was drowning
I’m Jasmine and I struggled with anxiety since as far back I can remember. I was always in my head. My thoughts were my worst enemy. I still do. I also struggled with substance abuse for 13 years. It took over me and I didn’t recognize who I was anymore. My family and I all dealt with trauma and alcoholism
Hi, my name is Jordan and I live in the UK. I didn’t always feel this way but since I first felt love at the age of 14 with one of my closest friends at the time, spending 5 years together completely changed the person I was prior, who was bubbly and so happy just to be alive. It changed
I’ve started struggling with anxiety and depression at the very young age of 10. I felt like dying every time I went to sleep, and I was feeling at my lowest ever. I started growing up and life was getting better, and I started to think that what I was feeling was just a phase. Then the same issues hit
Experiencing a crisis? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988
or Text the Crisis Text Line by Texting “LF999” to 741741.
