Sudbury woman shares her story of depression for Bell Let's Talk

Today is Bell Let's Talk Day. It's the 10th anniversary of the campaign to raise money to support people who are living with mental illness.

Jannik Hobson understands what that's like. She fell into a deep depression after her father was killed in a head-on collision a few years ago.

Now she's speaking openly about her experience to help erase the stigma around mental health.

Two months after her father's death, Hobson started her second year of studies at Cambrian College, and she says it wasn't easy.

"I wasn't eating. I wasn't sleeping. I had lost over 10 pounds. I wasn't getting out of my room. I wasn't showering," Hobson said.

The usually social young woman says she found it hard to find herself in that situation. "But once I did accept that, it was easier to move forward." She sought treatment in the form of counselling and anti-depressants.

Hobson says she's currently in her second depression since her father's death but it went undiagnosed for 10 months because it didn't manifest itself the same way as the first depression.

"Depression can come out in different ways. This time around it was a lot of stress," said Hobson. "I didn't feel like myself. It was more psychological. My body was different."

Hobson started therapy this year and says it's good to get advice from a professional. "I definitely recommend getting that help when you know you don't feel like yourself. You should trust that instinct and definitely get that help," she added.

Hobson says she kept trying to be the person she was before her father's death until she realized that person doesn't exist anymore.

"I can't become the person I was before that tragic event changed me forever," she said. "You have to move forward with who you are because you're stronger and you've been through so much that you're actually wiser as a person."

Hobson admits she was a little leery about sharing her story for Bell Let's Talk. But after having given it some thought, she decided to do it.

"There's still a stigma around mental health and that's what I'm trying to eliminate," she said. "I graduated with honours. I have a wonderful career and a wonderful life. And yes, I am in a depression. You can still be a person and do things and still have these struggles."