Share Your Story: Overcoming Struggles in an Online Community
Share Your Story: Overcoming Struggles in an Online Community
The Journey Starts Here
Thanks for taking some time to visit my first blog post on The Remedy Network.
I wanted to take you all on a journey with me about what’s going on in my world. I am excited to write my story and see the matriculation of how people will find help in actually sharing their stories online. If you didn’t know, I launched The Remedy Network this weekend online. This has been in my heart for quite some time. Quite simply, The Remedy Network is an online community where people can share stories about things they have overcome in their life. It is my goal and vision to make Remedy Network a safe place where people can share their stories, help people in need and be a place where people can find help for issues they have in their life.
Remedy Help Cards
I decided to begin this journey with a simple blog post. A “soft launch” if you will. No heavy marketing, no billboards, no ad campaigns. I would like to see the growth of Remedy Network occur very naturally and organically.
The first thing that I felt led to do was make “Remedy Help Cards.” Today, I printed out about 100 cards and have been passing them out around the city. The Help cards basically encourage people to annonomously email their stories to The Remedy Network.
The Facts
In my 22 years on this earth, I have found that many people in my generation secretly deal with things that they never tell people about. They harbor pain and addictions in their heart and never truly experience freedom. I do believe an element of freedom comes through sharing your experiences with others. Remedy Network is an online community to encourage people to start talking.
Recently, I was reading an article from ABC News, written by Sophie Scott, the national medical reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The article included some astounding information about young Australians age 15-19. Even though in America, I believe our culture shares some interesting parallels among Australian teens. Studies show that one in five young Australians deal with serious mental illnesses but more than 60 percent feel uncomfortable seeking professional support. Other important research in the article shows:
- young people who are experiencing the greatest distress are also the least willing to seek information or support from counseling services.
- most young people felt comfortable seeking support, information and advice from the internet.
All in all, I believe we've got to get this generation talking. We can't keep hiding. Our future depends on it.
SHARE YOUR STORY
If you haven’t already, check out the help page and send us your story. People need to hear what you've been through. They can get free from something because of you. Don't wait. Share your story today.
I'll definitely keep you updated on the journey.
-J. Caleb Perkins