When Sharissa Wooldridge experienced a miscarriage after navigating five difficult years of infertility, she was left with a profound sense of grief.
The grief, compounded by Sharissa’s ongoing struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts, made for an incredibly painful and difficult chapter in her life.
“My mental health was down the toilet,” Sharissa shares. “I was really struggling.”
“At that point, I didn’t feel like there was any point going on. It was very dark.”
Sharissa, who is based in Melbourne, knew she couldn’t navigate it all alone.
She sought support through counselling, medication and connecting with family and friends. She specifically reached out to people and communities who understood what infertility and pregnancy loss was like, a step that she says made a huge difference. She also came to see physical activity as a key part of her recovery.
“Being physically active has been a major part of healing on my mental health journey,” she says.
It was around this time Sharissa’s workplace offered an opportunity for staff to take part in One Foot Forward, an annual virtual walking, running, and moving challenge held every October during Mental Health Month, hosted by the Black Dog Institute
Sharissa signed up for the challenge alongside a group of colleagues. She committed to walking 60km throughout October, while others in her team chose to commit to 40km.
“It was really encouraging,” she says. “We’d message each other about where we were walking and share little pictures of us getting out and about.”
What Sharissa didn’t expect was how participating in One Foot Forward would help her explore the neighbourhood she had recently moved to, and connect with the world around her. She walked with friends, took part in Parkrun events, and found it really helped during a time of life that otherwise may have been very isolating.
“It was a really great opportunity to connect with those around me and actually focus on our mental health,” she said.
“It’s a path to recovery for me. Just keep going and put one foot in front of the other.”
“It reminded me that I could pull myself out of a really difficult place and keep moving forward.”
Nobody should have to face mental health challenges alone
The connection that Sharissa found through One Foot Forward reinforced her belief that no one should have to face mental health challenges alone. With one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness each year, and young Australians are experiencing higher rates of depression and anxiety than any generation before them, it’s a critical message.
Sharissa’s gone on to become a mental health advocate, encouraging others to seek support if they need it. Whether it be reaching out to a GP or mental health professional, a community group, friends, family or an organisation like Black Dog Institute, Sharissa knows how powerful the right support can be.
“Sometimes people don’t realise what’s available to them or how much support can help,” she said.
In beautiful news, Sharissa is now pregnant and looking forward to a new chapter of life in parenthood. It feels all the more special after years of fertility treatment and loss.
“I have a hope and a purpose that this one is going to make it,” she said.
Sharissa is continuing to stay active and connected with others to support her mental health through this chapter.
“I didn’t want to be lost in the abyss of my depression,” she says. “I wanted to keep going.”
This October, she’s taking part in One Foot Forward again, and encourages others to start wherever they are at.
“It’s a chance to get out into your community, improve your own mental health and support an incredible cause at the same time,” she said.
“Depression tries to isolate you. The best thing you can do is get outside, connect with others and keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
You can find out more about One Foot Forward and register for the challenge here.