When Mrs. Shaina Rosenfeld got up to speak in a confident, determined tone at this year’s Kinus Hashluchos, no one could have guessed that she was about to reveal the surprising truth about her personal experience with mental illness.
A personal admission of that magnitude is surely not an easy task, or a pleasant one. But Mrs. Rosenfeld is convinced that it was an important one. “I asked to speak tonight,” she said.
As topics of concern to our communities are one-by-one knocked off the “taboo”-list, we find ourselves in a better place to accept, support and care for the myriads of people who are suffering in otherwise unspeakable challenges. If people are able to speak frankly about their situations, then we are finally able to help them. If we start the conversation about mental health, and keep it going, we can change lives for the better. There will be no more shame in taking medication or going to therapy. We will better understand our sister, friend or neighbor who is going through a tough time. We can recognize the symptoms and help point ourselves and others in the right direction.
Junior N’shei of Crown Heights has never been known to shy away from these difficult topics. They were the first to publicly discuss Postpartum Depression, or PPD and numerous other challenging topics pertaining to wives and mothers. Therefore, their upcoming event, “State of my Mind” will host Mrs. Rosenfeld herself for a frank discussion about anxiety and general depression. Since her speech at the Kinus, she has been in demand to share her story with more people. The women of Crown Heights are privileged to have the opportunity to hear from her directly.
The statistics are strong. It is nearly guaranteed that someone you know is struggling with a hidden mental illness. But if Mrs. Rosenfeld has her way, they won’t have to be quiet about it anymore.
Let’s make this event a communal show of love and support for ourselves and each other and get rid of these stigmas once and for all by showing up on Tuesday, 1 Sivan, June 7 at Lubavitcher Yeshiva at 8:00.
Women will enjoy a delicious cheese tasting by natural kosher, a yogurt bar and hot drinks. They will indulge themselves by participating in an auction specifically for them. $5 a ticket or $30 for all 9 tickets) does not include grand prize- $400 gift certificate to Kirsh Jewelers.
Check in here for more details: https://www.facebook.com/events/1743008245984220/?ti=cl
To be added to their email list, please email [email protected]
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for addressing this issue. To #8, it is highly surprising to me that from your tone, it seems that you stigmatize mental health issues and have a personal negative association with them which is probably why you are so opposed to going near anyone with a degree to treat them. Using the term “mental illness” is disrespectful, and demeaning to people suffering from a mental disorder– possibly as you mentioned, yourself included. There is no harm that can be done to a person who isn’t in need of a mental health professional… Read more »
Thank you so much for opening this forum to the young women of Crown Heights! I myself started to suffer greatly from anxiety. Real physical and emotional feelings due to anxiety. I tried very hard to deal with it on my own but when it started to seriously interfere with my daily life I knew it was more then just changing my thoughts and mindset. BH I was able to pull myself out from under the blanket of shame and embarrassment associated with terms such as “mental illness”. I was afraid I would be told I was crazy and needed… Read more »
Just want to say thank you, you have opened the door for people to feel OK about talking and taking care of their own mental illness and for removing the stigma so prevalent in Crown Heights and in frum circles. THANK YOU for speaking up. Mamash a light in the darkness…
its so up to date to go public about this. So moshiachdik. and as well, it gives many people to have the feeling that they are not alone, which the Rebbe had stated about other issues in the past. I also really am hoping that other mental health issues will be brought up, as well as just that they bring out that it is so important in SO many ways, that mental health be out in the open, so we can all be educated and informed. There are MANY and different types of mental health issues which need to be… Read more »
Plz if it could be recorded then replayed here on col, that would really be great, the Lubavitch world needs to see & learn from this, & Stop hiding it in the closet. Thank u
Years ago, a Rav, giving a farbrengen, spoke about
fighting your Yetzer Hara. I’m not sure what prompted
my to ask this question, but it was as follows: “Does that
mean that when you’re depressed, you can’t fight against your Yetzer Hara?” His answer was,”When you’re depressed, you can’t fight against anything.”
Yes it is BIG! I agree with you 100 percent ppl do judge! However there are some ppl out there that are real and try there best to see the good in the person,and some that don’t doesn’t mean that they have a perfect family!!!! No one is perfect. I know about Mental illness and what it can/can’t do. If no one has it in your family that is amazing! Mental illness can happen to anyone. Some ppl can handle it and some can’t. With that said its time ppl stop judgeing and see that even if a person has… Read more »
When things happen beyond our control, and causes hurt beyond words, there is a lot of anger. Unresolved anger manifests in different ways.
Heal the anger….it’s not easy to forgive something so unforgivable, but it is a good idea in the long run.Talk to Hashem. Ask Him to help you to accept the things we cannot change.
When you choose not to be angry, you will feel different from your present state..at peace with yourself and closer to Hashem.
my anxiety is caused by ill health. the fact alone that I suffer anxiety means I have a mental illness, who cares where it stems from. my mother suffers too so it’s more then likely this is hereditary , but this is still my illness and I’ve had this since I was a child , tried everything with no success . I’ve learnt to live with it .
Of course someone suffering because they were abused is not their fault, but neither is it the fault of anyone suffering from any mental illness. If you are dealing with any kind of cognitive, emotional, relationship, or behavioral problem that is affecting any important area of functioning you should get help from a qualified licensed professional. Using terms like “mental illness” is often not helpful because it stigmatizes people as crazy or unable to be cured. These issues are better termed “Disorders” because that implies something is out of order. The term “illness” places a medical connotation on the problem… Read more »
Sorry, I could not keep quiet. Some people think someone else is mentally ill when really they are just going through a difficult time in life. Whereas it is good to be able to receive the proper care when needed, forcing someone who is going through a difficult period of time to get treatment intended for the mentally ill (I am not saying anything bad about mentally ill people, they are usually wonderfully nice individuals) can cause aweful affects. I speak from experience. I was abused and people were trying to get me help for the mentally ill. My voice… Read more »
Thank you for all the work you do…. and help keep inspiring us..
You help inspire me and others in BMC…..
The Neimsturman Family…
Will there be a video or recording for those who wish to benefit but are out of town and without a nishei Chabad?
Thank you for all the work you do…. and help keep inspiring us..
You help inspire me and others in BMC…..
The Neimsturman Family…
Are all those with subclinical/borderline issues that will never get the help they need (medical or therapeutic) either because of their ignorance or their level of denial!
For a long time, when a member of my immediate family was diagnosed, it was the inability to share this with anyone that was almost harder than dealing with the caregiving, therapist shopping aspect….. In this wide wonderful world of Ashkenazic Jewry NO ONE is immured! As we are a large family, with no one else in the immediate or extended family having a diagnosis, we were told this is random genetic combination and not hereditary…. Time for everyone to meet their own challenges , in this Golus with the confidence that it is all good , as it comes… Read more »
Way to go Shaina Rosenfeld.
Making a huge difference for the women of our community.
Very important topic.
Thank you for putting it on.
she spoke for us in Chicago and she was amaaaaaazing. so inspiring! every woman in CH should go hear her