Haley Kaminski was hospitalized five times in high school.
Haley Kaminski was hospitalized five times in high school.
Struggling with mental health issues and an eating disorder, the Cochrane High alumnus explained the importance of taking care of yourself and your mind to current students last Thursday for the sixth annual Self Care and Coping workshop day.
“It wasn't your traditional high school experience, ” Kaminski explained during the presentation.
After going to intensive in-patient programs and being hospitalized at Rockyview General Hospital, Kaminski said if anything disappointing happened, the stress and anxiety would cause “crushing feelings ” and a relapse.
“By 2011, I was vomiting blood and feeling so out of control … my mom was struggling with depression, my sister was fighting a fentanyl addiction and I relapsed hard, ” Kaminski said.
“I was also cutting, it was the only way I could really feel and stop feeling, ”
Now, five years later, the Cochrane teen told the crowd how it is important to recognize when you need help and to want to get help.
“I think it's important to communicate and talk about your struggles, ” Kaminski said.
The alumnus explained that she felt “shame ” and “stigma ” against her illness for years before starting to have an open conversation.
“Many more people are going through difficult things and can relate - often when we are going through something we feel isolated and alone, ” Kaminski said.
“It has been super healing to reach out and share my story and it has given me another dimension to my recovery - I look forward to inspiring others. ”
For anyone struggling with mental health and addiction issues, visit the Cochrane Mental Health Clinic at 60 Grande Blvd or call 403-851-6100.
