In this member moment, Café member ‘Q’ unravels his journey, talking about his battle with depression and how he came to find solace in an unlikely place.
As a child, Q’s dreams wove through various phases – from aspiring to be a zoologist at 7 to merely hoping to survive at 13. Living in the Williamsburg projects, the desire for something more than the confined life of the projects germinated at an early age. A pivotal moment at 15 led him to writing, and soon, books became his refuge, reshaping his perspective. The dream of entering the music industry with his rap talent flickered briefly before being overshadowed by the shadows of substance use and depression.
Q opened up about the first time he ventured into the foreign world of drugs, chasing a fleeting feeling of happiness. Remembering the darkness, a transformation was brewing. “I’m naturally happy now. I learned to use my serotonin for something better.”
The turning point came in the depths of despair. Living unhoused and incapacitated by his mental health condition, Q found himself at a crossroads where he discovered the Café. The catalyst for change came in the form of a conversation with Kristina, a peer support specialist. Within a week of becoming a member, Q secured a job and an apartment, marking the beginning of a path toward stability.
Initially feeling defeated and detached from the community, Q’s second visit to the Café brought a sense of belonging. He described the atmosphere as peaceful, a place where hope outweighed his depression. The realization dawned that sobriety was not a solo journey; it required a collective effort.
Q’s growth in recovery echoed through his words. “I feel more now than I did when I was using.” His introspective poem, “A Few Things,” encapsulates the essence of his transformation – a celebration of choosing community, happiness, forgiveness, healing, and self-discovery.