Lower Lonsdale resident Mikaela Karram, who suffered for years with severe anxiety and depression, decided to pay it forward with a charitable clothing line of the same name and committing random acts of kindness.
Karram’s friends and family put lottery tickets on cars, money in vending machines, fresh flowers on old gravestones, brought dog toys to shelters and bought people meals and groceries.
The Handsworth grad started Pay It Forward Gear – tanks, T-shirts and hats – as a way to help erase the stigma around mental illness, with 10 per cent of proceeds going to mindcheck.ca, which provides support resources to teens and young adults.
North Shore News: How did you know you were struggling with depression and anxiety?
Mikaela Karram: I felt like I had little to look forward to. It was difficult to engage in everyday life and maintaining the relationships around me became a challenge. I felt like I had lost a huge part of my life and I couldn’t figure out why.
North Shore News: Do you feel there is a stigma around mental illness that prevents people from getting help?
Mikaela Karram: I think there still is a stigma around it for sure. For me personally, I felt like it was a weakness. I felt like I had to keep it in the dark. I felt like I would lose people in my life if I told them exactly what was going on in my head.
North Shore News: How did the random acts of kindness lift your spirits?
Mikaela Karram: The thought of doing something kind for someone who can never repay you, it is what makes this world better. Making someone’s day slowly helped to lift my spirits, now it is something I practise often.
North Shore News: How did you come up with the idea for Pay It Forward Gear?
Mikaela Karram: I’ve always wanted to create a line – creating something with such meaning is just that much better! The goal was to bring it back to people’s minds to make a change for someone else.
North Shore News: What message do you hope the shirts send to those who see it?
Mikaela Karram: I hope it gets people to think about doing something kind for others. I was going through one of the greatest struggles in my life, with a smile on my face – you just never know what is truly going on in someone’s life. Pay It Forward is a reminder to continue to be kind.
North Shore News: Why did you chose mindcheck.ca to donate some of your proceeds to?
Mikaela Karram: It is a fantastic resource for different articles on mental illness. … As one who has struggled with this, it allows you to feel some comfort in that you are not alone.
North Shore News: Besides family and friends, who have been the biggest supporters of Pay it Forward?
Mikaela Karram: The connections I have from made Pay it Forward Gear have been crazy! I have met philanthropists, star athletes, and other entrepreneurs.
North Shore News: What can we as a society do to help people with mental illness?
Mikaela Karram: Remove the stigma that there is something wrong with them. Instead listen to what they are feeling and ask how you can help support them. One of the most thoughtful messages I got from my best friend was “I did some research and we got this together!”
