Mental Health Awareness Week:
When It’s More Than a Hashtag
I used to scroll past posts like this, Mental Health Awareness Week, kind messages, green hearts everywhere.
And I’d think, “That’s lovely. But what does that actually do for families like mine?”
Because when you live with mental illness in your home, when your daughter is on the edge of overwhelm, when the house swings from peace to panic in minutes, it’s not awareness you need.
It’s support. It’s understanding. It’s a moment to exhale and admit, “This is really hard, and I don’t know what to do next.”
That’s why I’m writing this. Not as a professional. Not as a coach or a consultant.
But as a mum.
Living in the Eye of the Storm
My daughter is 22. She’s beautiful. Bright. Funny. Fierce.
And she also lives with BPD, depression, CPTSD, panic disorder and much more…
On her good days, she’s unstoppable.
On her bad days, we walk through fire and storms together.
There have been nights I’ve sat outside her bedroom door with my heart in my throat. Days where I’ve cancelled everything because I couldn’t risk leaving her alone.
Moments where I’ve been so full of fear and helplessness I could barely breathe.
And the truth is, it’s incredibly isolating.
No one teaches you how to parent a child who doesn’t want to be here.
You’re either dismissed with leaflets and waitlists, or told to be “strong” and “calm” when all you want to do is fall apart.
The Turning Point: Chaos to Calm
The phrase, Chaos to Calm, came to me in one of those messy moments.
Not when things were perfect. But when I realised I could not fix her.
All I could do was show up. Stay steady. Hold space. Listen.
“My head feels like “Chaos”!”
And in that shift, from reacting to responding, from rescuing to listening, we both began to breathe again.
That’s when the idea for Chaos to Calm was born.
Not just as a business, but as a lifeline.
A place where other mums like me could feel seen, heard, and supported.
Because we don’t need to be told to “stay positive”.
We need to be handed a brew, looked in the eyes, and told:
“You’re doing an incredible job. Even if no one else sees it.”
Why This Week Matters
So yes—Mental Health Awareness Week does matter.
Not because it fixes everything. But because it gives us permission to speak.
To raise our hands and say, “I’m not okay. And that’s okay.”
And if you’re reading this and nodding through tears, I want you to know:
- You’re not alone.
- You’re not a failure.
- You’re a mum doing her absolute best in an impossible situation.
And that matters. It really, really does.
Let’s Walk This Together
If you’ve been living in the chaos, I want to offer you some calm, not as perfection, but as a practice.
Start with one breath. One small boundary. One moment of compassion for yourself.
That’s where healing begins.
And if you ever need someone who understands, who’s walked the messy path and still puts the kettle on with very shaky hands and chaos in her belly, I’m here.
From my heart to yours,
Sami xx
Founder of Chaos to Calm.
Chaos to Calm 