Seeking help 'makes us strong': Mental health speakers share tales of survival amid tragedy
- GAB NEWS
- Aug 16
- 4 min read
Kirsten Croxton knows people are shy about reaching out to get help for mental health issues, so she decided to do something to bring help to people.
Croxton, a recent Hale County High graduate, acted as host and emcee of the Mental Health and Wellness Fair at Hale County Middle School Aug. 9 with LJ Bester. Both young people have been involved in bringing mental health workshops to the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama and have a passion for helping people deal with mental health challenges.
"We wanted to get people the help they need because some people are afraid to reach out for help. It's a big thing, but people look over mental health, they just completely bypass it. We have speakers here today who have been through everything that are here to tell their story to encourage people to keep going," Croxton said.
The mental health fair featured four speakers from different walks of life who were united by the tragic events they have endured. They turned their personal sorrows into messages of hope for the fair hosted by the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama and Dollar Tree.
The four keynote speakers had experienced tragedies ranging from having family members murdered to friends and family who took their own lives. They were joined by four panelists who discussed mental health issues. Apostle Otis Garner from The Temple of Glory Ministry in Tuscaloosa; Kelli Wolfe, the West Alabama field representative for U.S. Sen. Katie Britt; former NAACP president Jerry Carter; and Patrice Bright, a mental health advocate from Dothan were the speakers.
Panelists included Melanie Maddox, a Hale County educator; Brandy Martinez, a victim advocate with Turning Point in Tuscaloosa; Vaidehi Gajjar Mehta, a public health advocate from Tuscaloosa; and Haley Roedder, a communication specialist from the University of Alabama proved the panel discussion.
Bright, whose daughter, Anna, died in 2017 by her own hand while she was in 8th grade, said, "She had a battle she couldn't win. It was a battle no one knew anything about. She was very special and her heart was the most beautiful part about her."
Bright said her message was not to overlook any kind of warning signs and to encourage people to choose life. There is help for people in difficult situations.
"Their lives are precious and they are loved. They have a purpose only they can fulfill," Bright said.
Garner, whose son died as a victim of a violent crime, also had a daughter who died from illness a few months later. Garner learned several things that are keys to help a person deal with mental health challenges. He listed the five ways he learned to improve mental health:
Make sleep a priority
Exercise and engage in regular physical activity
Cultivate social connections and avoid isolation
Practice mindfulness, being alert and living in the moment, and learning how to breathe properly, which helps improve focus.
Maintain a healthy diet.
"When it comes to seeking mental health help, it does not make us weak. It makes us strong," Garner said.
Wolfe lost two friends to suicide within a week of each other and she said Garner's advice was a great help to her as well. Wolfe said the Critical Incident Stress Management Team of Alabama came and talked to her and coworkers, allowing them to talk out their feelings about what had happened. The team so impressed her, Wolfe joined them in order to help others.
"When something happens ... my advice is to avoid making major decisions when you are in times of stress. Don't go out and buy a boat. Don't go buy a new car. Don't have an affair. Don't go leave your wife. Everybody knows somebody who has done a boneheaded thing in times of stress," Wolfe said.
Carter, who was a promising football player in high school, got caught up in drugs and alcohol and it ruined his athletic future. He dropped out of school and did not get a GED until years later. Carter eventually restarted the NAACP branch in Tuscaloosa and was president of the organization for 10 years. He now serves as a board member with the Legal Services of Alabama.
"Don't jump off into (the temptations)," Carter said. "If you happen to find yourself in that situation and you think you are too far in, don't give up. Don't put a ceiling on your head. Fight your way back through. If you don't go back to school, get a GED, go to technical school or join the military.
"Just keep clawing your way. People will recognize your amibiton and see that you are determined and will help you along the way. It's all within you. If you screwed it up, you need to be the one who fixes it."
Croxton, who is entering college at Shelton State with the goal of getting her four year degree from University of West Alabama in nursing, said, "Even adults are scared to say they have a problem and seek help because of what people are going to think."
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