TAMPA, Fla. — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and all month long, Tampa Bay 28 has brought you inspirational stories, hoping to break the stigma around mental health.
Good Morning Tampa Bay anchor Deiah Riley spoke with one Tampa woman about the pain she once tried to hide, which is now helping heal others.
Karen McGinnis Vaughn walks through the halls of North Tampa Behavioral Health Center with a purpose that goes far beyond a paycheck.
Patients arrive here in their darkest moments, battling addiction, depression, trauma, and suicidal thoughts.
“It's shame-based, typically, it's that there's a lot of shame, there's a lot of guilt, there's a lot of fear of being found out, and it really depends on the stages of where you're at with your mental health or your substance use, but at the core of it, I believe, is shame,” said Karen.
Karen meets patients where they are. No shame, no judgement, just understanding. She knows what they’re going through because she’s been there herself.
“I walk in as a person in recovery, I'll sit on that cold hard floor next to their bed and I'll let them know that I've been here too, and I can see the shift in their body language when I let them know that I used to be homeless, I was walking the streets at one point in the latter part of my addiction,” said Karen.
She said shame kept her trapped for years, and she hit rock bottom more than once before finally asking for help.
Now, as a certified recovery peer specialist, she speaks openly about her recovery, hoping to be a lifeline for someone else.
“I see the value in recovering out loud, because when I'm recovering out loud, there's so many people that come forth to me and say, I'm so grateful for you, you know, you shared your story, and it allowed me to talk to my daughter about going and getting help, or it allowed me to talk to my son, or allowed me to talk to my Husband, or I went and got help because of your story,” explained Karen.
She admits healing didn’t happen overnight, and it didn't happen alone.
“There's so many other resources out there, it's going to a residential program, it's going to aftercare, it's going to outpatient services, it's getting connected with 12-step programs, it's getting connected with the community to me. Sometimes recovery equals community,” said Karen.
She said isolation can be one of the most dangerous parts of addiction and mental illness.
“We like to isolate in our, in our, in our mental health challenges, or in our substance abuse, and that really is the devil's playground, and that's where you know bad things happen,” explained Karen.
Today, Karen is thriving and celebrating 11 years of sobriety. She hopes the people walking through the doors of North Tampa Behavioral Health Center understand recovery is possible even when it feels out of reach.
“Yes, it is the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was the most worthwhile thing I've ever done in my life,” said Karen.
Karen now has a great career, is married again, her son is thriving, and she sits on the board of several nonprofits.
She said recovery is still a daily battle, but with faith, support, and the community she once feared reaching out to, she’s proof that even the darkest chapters don’t have to define the rest of your story.
Share Your Story with Deiah
Good Morning Tampa Bay Anchor Deiah Riley has called Tampa Bay for more than 15 years. As a mother of two, she knows the importance of a good education and strong role models. Reach out to Deiah with any education related stories or community leaders who deserve to be in the spotlight.
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