I felt ashamed beyond my imagination and thought I would never get a job, wife, or life again. After years of using marijuana to numb feelings of loneliness and heartbreak, I felt I could not live without it. This led to psychotic episodes, after which I felt I was labeled as “kupenga?” (Crazy in Shona). This spiraled me into suicidal thoughts and depression that haunted my mind to the point where I felt the world would be better off without me. See how being admitted to a psychiatric hospital for my mental health and addiction started my turnaround. One day, I met an organization filming a documentary about mental health and asked if I could be in it. During the process of sharing parts of my story and my dreams with them, combined with the support I found at the hospital, I found hope. Learn how this led me to quit smoking and drinking and find healthier ways to express my emotions. I reconnected with music and reached out to the organization behind the documentary - Friendship Bench, and I asked them for a job. This helped me use my story as a mental health buddy, where I help others face and deal with their struggles in life.