親愛的陌生人 | Dear Stranger | By Diana Chao
Mental Health Association for Chinese Communities 美國華裔精神健康聯盟
親愛的陌生人 | Dear Stranger
Diana Chao | TEDxTeen
趙東妮十年級的時候，創辦了非營利組織Letters to Strangers陌生人來信，為全世界感到抑鬱和無助的人提供求助的機會，現在已經有兩萬多人響應，L2S發展成為一個全球性的校園心理健康倡導的力量。這一切都開始於趙東妮的親身經歷。
When Diana Chao was in 10th grade, she founded the nonprofit organization Letters to Strangers (L2S) to provide a way for people around the world struggling with depression and helplessness to reach out for help. Now, over 20,000 people have responded, and L2S has grown into a global force for youth mental health advocacy on school campuses. It all began with Diana Chao’s personal experience.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could stop a depressive or manic episode from coming on?
While sitting in my ninth grade English class, staring down at the pages of the Odyssey, the way I understood myself changed forever.
“Oh, trust me, I get it. I am so OCD, too!”
As any smartphone commercial will tell you, there is an app for everything — and mental health is no exception.
When I was first receiving treatment for bipolar disorder, I would sit in the psychiatrist’s office and listen and nod, occasionally adding an “um” or a “yes” to the conversation.
“Your brain is lying to you.” That’s what I told a dear friend when she was experiencing severe depression.
When Regina was 16, while volunteering as a camp counselor she was hit by a falling tree. The accident resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
How many people have tried talk therapy and made progress, but ultimately felt that it wasn’t enough?
Like 2.3% of U.S. adults, I live with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a largely misunderstood mental health condition that can have a devastating impact.
On February 17, 2020, I was at a crossroads, deciding whether I wanted to live or die.
