Can you briefly introduce yourself and share a bit about your background?

Hi CLOUDZILLA, my name is Wyatt and I am a 16 year old high school student in New York City. I like sports, watching TV, my pets and traveling to new places.  I live with my parents and I have an older sister who is in college.   I am on a soccer team, play tennis in the summers, table tennis on weekends and also basketball.   I was diagnosed with anxiety and OCD about two years ago.

Can you share a bit about your mental health journey and the challenges you faced?

I started feeling different or weird just before Covid hit when I was about 12 years old.  I didn’t really know what to do with these feelings.  At first, I just kept going on and struggled with it.  I was consumed by thoughts about my videos of trick shots that I had made on YouTube and was afraid someone would find them. I didn’t know if I should ask for help but eventually I did bring it up to my parents.  I started seeing a therapist but then Covid hit and that was a further setback for me because one of the things that created anxiety for me was technology and now I had to use my computer and phone for on-line school and therapy sessions. It was difficult.  

What motivated you to seek help from a therapist, and how did therapy support you in overcoming your fears related to technology? 

I wanted to feel better. I finally told my parents what I was going through and we found a therapist.  He was nice but not doing enough for me.  We then found another who was a great fit for me.  He helped me so much.  He did exposure therapy where with every session the phone got more and more introduced into the room until I was able to hold it and text without fearing that something bad would happen.

Can you describe how your diagnosis of OCD intersected with your experiences navigating life and technology?

Because of my OCD about technology, I didn’t use my phone for over a year.  I lost contacts and friends. Since I wasn’t connected I missed hanging out with friends, and missed out on many social activities. I would spend most of my time at home alone. It was very difficult to do school work and I procrastinated because I didn’t want to open my computer.  My grades were worse than they should have been because of that. 

What strategies or techniques did you learn in therapy that helped you feel more comfortable using your phone and computer again? 

My therapist used exposure therapy which made me slowly be able to use my phone again. I guess talking about it with him also made a big difference.  I remember texting my mom from his office after about a year and that was a big breakthrough.

Are there specific individuals or experiences that have had a positive impact on your mental well-being? 

I was lucky to have had very supportive people around me.  My family and also my closest friends were pretty amazing. They never gave up on me. Also, my pets and other things that I look forward to like sport events make me happy and grounded 

What were some of the specific triggers or concerns that led to your extreme worry about the content you posted online? 

Whenever I saw in real life or in a movie someone being made fun of because of something they did on-line, it would set me back.  I would start worrying all over again.  Also, if I got a glitch text or something, I would excessively worry about it. 

Reflecting on your journey, what role did self-awareness and self-compassion play in your recovery process? 

Knowing what was going on with me was very powerful.  I finally knew what it was.  I wasn’t crazy and there was a path to feeling better. When I had good friends that I knew wouldn’t bully me, I felt safe and could be free and myself.  I didn’t do anything wrong and I have nothing to worry about. 

Can you share a specific setback or challenge that taught you valuable lessons? How did you navigate through it, and what did you learn from that experience? 

Since I was using my cell phone again, I sometimes get random texts on my phone or it may make a strange noise which was a big setback for me.  I would start worrying again that people would find out about my old posted videos and somehow see them.  I now still think about it but I am able to quickly dismiss it.  I know it’s probably nothing and that there will be no consequences. Having more knowledge about things helps so much. 

In advocating for mental health awareness among youth or in general, what specific challenges and issues do you believe need to be addressed? 

I think the stigma around mental health needs to be taken away. Many kids are scared to come forward because of shame, because they think there is something wrong with them and they don’t want to be different. It needs to be talked about freely just like you would talk about a physical problem. Also, parents need to be educated and know what to look out for in their kids. To know what is not just a normal teenage behavior and what needs to be addressed.  Also, people need to know where they can go to get help. 

What motivated you to open up about your journey, and what do you hope others gain from hearing your story on CLOUDZILLA? 

I was asked by my therapist if I was willing to open up about my struggles to others and I didn’t hesitate in saying, yes. I felt good about my progress and I hope to be able to help other people.  With the work I have done so far, I have had parents come up to me and thank me for speaking out.  Their child saw me talk about mental health issues and then felt better about themselves.  It gave them confidence and made them realize that they were not alone and that it is okay.  I hope through a platform like CLOUDZILLA, I will be able to reach even more kids and hopefully make a difference.

Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to others who are reading this?

If you are going through something right now, don’t be afraid to speak up.  Tell someone you trust what is going on in your head.  Stay true to yourself.  Never lose yourself no matter what struggles you face.  Be confident. There is nothing wrong with you.  Be open-minded and tolerant toward people with mental health issues.  You can make all the difference in someone’s life.