Ahmed’s Letter
To my next friend,
My name is Ahmed, I’m 26 years old, from Allentown, PA, and I am grateful to be here to talk to you. This surprises me every day because 7 years ago, I was initially diagnosed with major depression and anxiety. I had my share of suicidal thoughts and a few panic attacks. A couple of years later, social anxiety was included in the mix of my mental health. My current state of mind shocks me more so today because I have hit some lows and still do like the rest of the world. It has been a difficult time for me to try to rediscover myself presently. I have lost, rekindled, and found passions in life which saddens, relieves, and excites me all at once. I have been trying to use these passions to be able to develop new friendships which has always been a struggle of mine due to social anxiety. However, my biggest passion of helping others drives me the most especially when someone in the world needs it.
It’s been a tough year or more with the events that have transpired, and I hope you are doing well and staying safe. If not and you are struggling, I hope to be around to help you in any way I can. Thus, I am writing this letter to you with the intent of starting something special. I would like to show everyone that it’s okay to talk about mental health to strangers or friends. That regardless of our differences, if we communicate with each other, we will realize how similar our deeper issues are. Stories allow us to be human and my goal is that by sharing our mental health experiences, we will learn about ourselves and each other so that we can help and improve our society.
I would like to let you know that if you love yourself, know that you are never alone. I look forward to starting the special movement and friendship with you. That you will enjoy this as much as me.
We need to let THE world know that we should not feel HIDDEN and that we are the same and the ONES with the most important STORY. Let’s end the stigma!
-Ahmed El Ashry
Founder of THOS Studios
“Venture the Unknown”