Mental Health
Coping with depression: “I’ve climbed that mountain”
Chaeli Mycroft (29) faces the twin challenges of having depression as well as a physical condition that confines her to an electric wheelchair. As an ability activist who has earned the highest global accolades, she describes how she’s faced depression head on.
Despite living with cerebral palsy and being quadriplegic, Chaeli Mycroft is often expected to perform at able-bodied standards. Her depression can be just as much of the challenge, as it means she sometimes has difficulty doing anything. It’s a battle, but one that Chaeli has proven is doable with the right attitude. In fact, she’s the first female quadriplegic to summit Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the highest free-standing mountain in the world!
Chaeli, who lives with her personal assistant, works as the Manager of Relationships and Funding at the Chaeli Campaign, an organisation that runs programmes impacting the lives of more than 7 000 people.
Journey towards diagnosis
During the 2020 pandemic, Chaeli was extremely anxious as she knew she was vulnerable to getting sick and was at home for 67 days. At that point she decided to go to therapy for her anxiety symptoms. After a few sessions, Chaeli realised she had unresolved issues in her life. She hadn’t dealt with being bullied in high school and had recently lost a close friend, leaving her with unprocessed loss. She was also able to see how she had successfully masked her true feelings and made it appear that she was okay. Her therapist diagnosed her with depression.
“It took me a while to accept my diagnosis as a part of my life. I think it's because I was used to dealing with disability stigma, but not mental health stigma, which is fiercely present,” she says.
Treating depression
Since then, Chaeli has gone for regular therapy with her psychologist. She has learnt the skills to manage her depression and identify triggers that can cause her to have a depressive episode. She’s also become better at communicating to the people around her when her mental health is not great. Overall, therapy has been a journey of self-discovery and growth, and Chaeli says she’s grateful for the positive experience. “I’m a huge advocate for therapy,” she insists.
Managing depression
Chaeli’s work has accommodated her by allowing her to take time off on days when she has needed time to regain her emotional strength. On days that she feels depressed she allows herself to let the feeling pass, without judgement. “I make space for my feelings and lean into them, acknowledge them, and then lower my expectations for that day,” she explains. On the days when she’s feeling fine, she manages with work and achieves her goals. “There is always an awareness that depression could arrive at any point. I must be aware of my triggers and implement the tools I’ve learnt in therapy to navigate my way around them,” she says.
The lessons of depression
Through living with depression, Chaeli has learnt to make space for the condition in her life. Because she’s accepted it, she is more open to telling the people around her how she feels. “I’ve also learnt that my mind is powerful. It’s not always on my side and that’s okay because I can work through it and become more self-aware,” she says. She has also found that people can be understanding towards depression and there is comfort in sharing your experiences with others. Most important, Chaeli has become more aware of how crucial it is to take care of your mental health.
Mediclinic is prioritising mental wellbeing by making mental health services more accessible to the broader community. We have dedicated mental health units in Welkom, George, Newcastle, Pretoria, Legae, and Cape Town. Smaller in-hospital care options also exist within some of the acute facilities.