For years, Josh* (*not his real name) had been struggling. He had been hospitalized and diagnosed with major depressive disorder. He had attempted suicide. He had lost jobs, missed shifts and pushed people away.
He didn’t understand why things that seemed simple for everyone else felt so hard for him. He made plans and cancelled them. His mood would change in seconds. He changed jobs often and missed more days than he could explain.
Will you make a gift today to help make sure someone who understands and can help is there when a person like Josh finally reaches out?
Even the people closest to Josh didn’t always understand what he was going through. His family thought he was making excuses. At one point, even his family doctor didn’t believe there was really a problem.
Eventually, Josh stopped trying to explain.
Then he lost another job.
His rent was late. His landlord was running out of patience. His family was tired of helping.
Most days, getting out of bed felt impossible.
Josh was ashamed and scared. But mostly, he was angry … and angry was easier than scared!
And somewhere in the middle of all that, Josh remembered something. Months earlier, someone from CMHA Saskatoon had visited his workplace to talk about mental health.
Josh thought the mandatory presentation was a waste of time. But he remembered one thing: You don’t need a diagnosis or a referral to call CMHA Saskatoon.
So, Josh picked up the phone.
He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know what kind of help he needed.
The person who answered didn’t expect him to. They listened. They asked a few questions. And they invited him to come in.
Josh agreed.
Then he didn’t show up.
For someone who already feels ashamed and a failure, walking through the doors of a mental health organization can feel like an enormous challenge.
Josh was afraid he would be judged. Afraid someone would tell him he wasn’t “sick enough.”
Afraid he had wasted everyone’s time.
But CMHA Saskatoon didn’t give up on him. One of the staff – Rojette – called Josh again. Not to lecture him. Not to make him feel guilty.
Just to make sure he was okay and ask if he wanted to try to connect again.
Your gift today makes those follow up and check in calls possible. Please consider donating to ensure when someone needs encouragement and support, we will be there!
The second time, Josh walked through the door. That step mattered.
And that’s where something important happened. Rojette welcomed him, offered him a cup of coffee and a snack and then simply sat down with him.
This didn’t feel like a doctor’s appointment. No-one tried to fix his whole life … Rojette was there to listen and help him make sense of the “mess in his head.” She helped him break his challenges and concerns into parts to be approached one at a time and slowly they developed a plan to move forward with clarity.
Nothing was solved that day! Josh still had no job. His housing was still uncertain. And the wait to come seemed like a long path ahead.
But he left with a plan. It wasn’t much but it was something. For the first time, Josh thought maybe he didn’t have to figure things out on his own.
Because getting help does not always begin with knowing what to say. Sometimes it begins with finding the courage to pick up the phone. Sometimes it means trying again after you miss an appointment.
And sometimes, it means having someone on the other end of the line who says, in one way or another: “It’s okay. Let’s try again.”
People in our community should not have to know exactly what they need before they can ask for help. They should not need a referral. They should not need the “right” words. And they should never have to wonder if someone will answer.
Sometimes, one person answering your call is the beginning of everything good that comes next.
P.S. Josh almost didn’t answer when CMHA called him back. Thankfully, someone kept the door open and gave him another chance to walk through it.
Your gift today can help keep that door open and help someone like Josh leave with a plan, a little hope, and the knowledge that they are not along on their journey.