A Bedford County group held a vigil centered around the importance of positive awareness and education in effort to end the stigma around mental health. 

“I’ve had depression. Serious depression and from that I’ve learned what it’s like to really have no energy, be depressed, and even feel like I wanted to kill myself,” Dr. Quentin R. Dolphin said.

Dolphin has struggled with depression since he was about 20 years old. His experience is what motivated him to become a psychiatrist. 

“I knew that it brought me down to my knees and that I had nothing left. And feeling that way is the lowest you could ever feel. So I decided that I would try to help people that were in that kind of position that I was,” Dolphin said.  

That’s why he shared his story at the 17th annual Day of Enlightenment candle light vigil — hosted by the Bedford County Community Support Program. The group offers help to anyone with mental illness at the HOPES Drop-In Center in downtown Bedford. They host multiple events throughout the year — which many say is imperative to educating people on mental health. 

“There’s too much information being misconstrued about mental health awareness. So the best thing we can do is make awareness available by education,” Mental Health Specialist Erik Whisker said.

“It shows that it can hit anyone, anywhere in the community. And these kinds of events just show us that recovery is important and it can happen,” Dolphin said.

The HOPES Drop-In Center is open Monday through Thursday 12-5 p.m. and Friday 12-6 p.m. Anyone is welcome to stop by. For more information, CLICK HERE.