special report
10 Obiter Dicta
Taylor
A Story of Decisions and Revelations
I
john wu › contributor
’ve known my friend Taylor since
grade ten. Even back then, he had a
reputation around the school as one
of the kindest, most approachable
people you’d ever meet. Intelligent and
charismatic, with the looks of a young
Leonardo DiCaprio, Taylor had an easygoing magnetism about him, along with
an uncanny affinity for human empathy
that I have always envied. When we
graduated, no one was surprised when
he was chosen as Valedictorian.
When we entered our pre-med program at Western,
Taylor maintained his role as a model student in the
midst of a tense, competitive environment. In addition to taking on the responsibilities of an orientation leader, he also served with me on the University
Student Council. There, he helped bring about sweeping policy changes, setting the foundations for a student wellness clinic, which still thrives to this day.
On the surface, Taylor was the same golden boy.
But beneath the façade, his life had taken on a very
different narrative.
For years, Taylor had waged a secret war, unknown
to all but those closest to him. Day by day, he fought
against his inner demons, all the while straining to
live up to the expectations placed upon him by others.
Though he appeared to be the same happy-go-lucky
guy, every day was turning into a struggle for him.
Every smile, every kindness, took more and more
effort. His gift for human empathy began to selfcannibalize, leaving him resentful, distrustful, and
above all, vulnerable.
At last, he’d hit rock bottom, Taylor found himself in a mire of
depression and
drug abuse. In
h is eyes, he’d
become ever ything he’d hated.
This plagued him
to no end. He spent entire days brooding; utterly paralyzed by the invisible weight he carried in his mind.
At times, all he could feel was a sense of loneliness, as
his life was overtaken by an all-consuming, nihilistic
apathy.
He could have ended it there. Even now, I shudder
to think about it. Fortunately, he chose not to.
On 19 August, Taylor did one of the bravest things
I’ve ever witnessed. Through his writing, he revealed
his secret struggle to the world. He exposed it all: the
good and the bad, the highs and the lows, the sessions
with the therapists and the experience of being
medicated. He did this, not just to relieve the burden
he bore, but also to help others like him— others,
who were suffering in silence, desperately wishing to
reach out for help, yet unable to bring themselves to
do so.
The response was overwhelmingly positive, to
say the least. Far from caving into the stigma that
surrounds mental illness, support flooded in from
every direction.
It was a revelation
for many— this
was whole new
side to a person
they thought they
knew. Most could
hardly believe it, that someone like him could have
ever been depressed. In pulling apart the curtains
that had clouded his life, Taylor started a conversation
about something rarely discussed, something that
had been hidden in the shadows for far too long.
I’m sure many of you can relate to what Taylor had
gone through. I know I can. Needless to say, the life
of a law student is hectic. We live in a culture where
being stressed is a badge of honor, where competition
is palpable, where every day we are incentivized to
win the rat race. A study from Yale has shown that at
least thirty percent of law students are afflicted with
some form of mental illness. This is something that
must not be ignored.
With Osgoode’s Mental Health Awareness Week
imminent, there really is no better time to bring
this issue to the forefront. For the sake of your own
wellness, and the quality of your education, I ask
that you please spend some time to reflect, not only
upon yourself, but the other people in your life. Seek
help. Offer support. Judge not. Let us reach solidarity
th rough our shared struggles, and shine a light on the
issue of mental illness. No one should have to suffer
alone.
Today, Taylor is doing much better. He is now the
co-founder of a London-based fashion company. In
his spare time, Taylor works at the same wellness
clinic he started all those years ago, helping students
get through their most stressful moments, whilst
stomping out the stigma surrounding mental
illnesses. And although his trials and tribulations
are far from over, Taylor has, with the support of his
family and friends, gained a newfound strength of
both character and spirit. He now faces the world,
liberated.
“On 19 August, Taylor did
one of the bravest things I’ve ever
witnessed.”
If anyone would like a sympathetic ear, or wish to
speak to him about his experiences, Taylor Blixt can
be reached through Facebook. u
ê Photo credit: Taylor Blixt