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Directing Change

A Friend Like Ozzy

Tags: Monthly Prompt
Film Description:

I've chosen to take the monthly prompt "mental heroes" as a way to look back and see what my mental heroes look like, dating all the way back to my childhood. I struggle with mental health on a daily basis, but when I was younger it was a struggle because of how strong my mental health was depleted due to my lack of friendships, the skill set of interacting, and my high levels of fear for almost everything. Since there weren't many kids I had been close with as I was growing up I always resorted to playing with my stuffed animals because they were the only thing that had given me stability when no one else cared to even give up any for me. I had this one stuffed animal that I just couldn't ever part with, and as you guessed it his name was Ozzy. There wasn't a specific reason why he was so special, he just was. Ozzy was a friend to keep at night to keep the monsters at bay, but his specialty was helping me throughout the day. Like keeping me company, keeping my secrets, and just being there for me. I can honestly say Ozzy saved me from the hardships of elementary school. He taught me to try and look for happiness when it felt so distant from me, and to love as unconditionally as he did, but most of all he taught me to be a true friend something that I had no idea about. And that is just a small list of reasons why Ozzy is my mental health hero. As you can tell Ozzy is depicted in the picture as the big brown bear I've drawn, and the little girl is supposed to be the younger version of me. I've chosen to draw my piece in a format of a child's to again showcase that all of this is through the mind of my 7-year-old self. That is why you can see that the brush type being used is a crayon and bright colors to display the vibrant colors that a preschooler and up would be used for art.
https://directingchangeca.org/wp-content/uploads/gravity_forms/107-3785c6d35aa4fcf9b14b8192650c4c73/2022/11/IMG_1481.JPG

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If you are experiencing an emotional crisis, are thinking about suicide or are concerned about a friend call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline immediately: 1-800-273-8255This is a free 24-hour hotline.
Directing Change is part of statewide efforts to prevent suicide, reduce stigma and discrimination related to mental illness, and to promote the mental health and wellness of students. These initiatives are funded by counties through the Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) and administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), an organization of county governments working to improve mental health outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
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