Support Katie Sanford's Mental Health Advocacy

1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year. And I'm one of them. I use my story to try and help others struggling with the effects of mental illness, and I need your help.

My name is Katie and I've lived with mental illnesses like obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression for most of my life, but in 2008, the summer before my senior year of high school, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. My life changed forever. 

Schizoaffective disorder is a combination of a mood disorder, in my case depression, and symptoms of schizophrenia, like hallucinations and disorganized thoughts. Thanks in large part to early intervention treatment, I was able to graduate from high school and then Northwestern University, though not without great struggle. 

Ever since my diagnosis, I battled feelings of shame and feared being abandoned by those around me because of the intense stigma around schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

In 2011, I had the opportunity to speak about my experiences with schizoaffective disorder at a college event and it changed everything. I realized that this awful thing in my life could be used for good - educating others, spreading awareness, and fighting the stigma surrounding these and other disorders. 

Along with my personal experience, I also have a background in psychology and worked as a research assistant studying schizophrenia. Understanding both the science behind my disorders as well as what it's like to live with them has given me a unique perspective on mental illness that I use to put a real face to severe mental illness and make it accessible.

I speak on panels for law enforcement crisis intervention training, including sheriff's deputies, recruits, and correctional officers. I also give guest lectures at Northwestern University. I author my own mental health blog, Not Like The Others, I'm a Super Contributor for the mental health and chronic illness website The Mighty, and my story was recently featured in Women's Health. 

I need your help.

I want to help people with mental illnesses feel less alone and I want to help those who love them feel better equipped to support them.

By donating to my fundraiser, you are helping me share my story with adults and kids who have been diagnosed, parents and other family members, students, first responders, and anyone who works with or cares about someone who struggles with mental illness. 

By sharing my story and my ongoing experiences, I strive to show that you are not alone, that there is a way forward, and that a diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of your life.

A donation of any amount will help.

Thank you for your compassionate support for those struggling with the potentially devastating effects of mental illness.

To learn more about me and read my blog, go to www.katiesanford.net

If you would like to make a recurring monthly gift, please go to www.patreon.com/katiesanford