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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Framingham chapter.

I have never listened to a podcast before this, and it took me a while to find one that I wanted to start with. While searching through the Society & Culture topic on Apple Podcast, I came across the personal journal section and found a podcast called Sincerely, X. It seemed intriguing due to the cover being a Mean Girls Burn Book lettering style for the title. The series is made by both Audible and TED, and I love listening to TED Talks, so I thought I would enjoy this podcast as well. 

I started on season one episode two, titled “Pepper Spray.” The podcast starts out asking the question “What is it that causes a seemingly normal person to snap?” Honestly, this is a great thought provoking question to grab someone’s attention. They then go into talking about things that could cause a person to “go crazy,” from everyday life to mental conditions. Then they introduce the anonymous speaker for this episode and they say right before the speech, “Suspend judgement. Just listen.” I love this statement. It really makes you rethink how you view and judge people and their actions every day.  

Then the story starts. The narrator begins setting the scene and sharing her thoughts of doubt. She’s at a store trying to get her glasses fixed, the staff were rude to her, and she tries to suppress her anger but then loses her calm and starts yelling. Customers start yelling at her and she goes to leave but they try to prevent her. She then stated she blacked out. She happened to have pepper spray on her and sprayed every person who came at her. 

A man then calmed her down by asking her what was wrong. She describes how rude the staff and customers were, how she struggles with mental illness, and how she felt unsafe. She calls this unknown man a hero. She explains how she thinks that the de-escalation skills this man possessed are just as important as first aid and CPR. She wanted to take her experience to help others in the future who struggle with mental illness, specifically PTSD. 

I strongly agree with this woman’s view on her story and how she takes a terrible thing and makes something good out of it. Mental illness and PTSD are incredibly difficult issues that so many people deal with. Therapy and de-escalation skills are extremely important. If more people could learn these skills and help those who need it.

 “You don’t need to suffer alone.” ~ Anonymous

 

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Kayley Boulger

Framingham '23

I'm Kayley, and I'm a freshman living on campus this year. I'm originally from Wrentham mass, and I'm majoring in Psychology. I enjoy all forms of art and music and I get very passionate about things i feel are important.
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