Augustina’s Story

Augustina Ampofo was a happy and energetic child. Born to first-generation Ghanaian parents, she recalls growing up in a home full of music, dancing and laughter. But at some point during her teenage years, she started experiencing what she now knows was depression.

“I remember my mom taking me to the doctor and the doctor saying, 'That could be depression.' And my mom replying, 'Depression? No, what does she have to be depressed about?' In my family and my community, we didn’t talk about depression or mental illness. That was the first time I had heard that word and I didn't even really know what it meant.”

Augustina kept going, graduating from university and moving to Alberta for work in her early twenties, without giving mental health a second thought. After a transition period filled with financial uncertainty and stress, Augustina heard a voice for the first time.

"I believed I was going through a spiritual experience. There was a point where I thought I was an angel and that I was here on a mission sent by God. It was very easy for me to believe it because no one else was hearing the voices or seeing hallucinations like I was."

Rightful distrust in the health care system played a role in her experience as well, as she remembers how she was treated when her coworkers brought her to the hospital. She was a young, petite, Black woman who needed help, but was met with animosity from nurses, patronizing conversations with psychiatrists, and unnecessary aggression from a security guard.

“I don't think I would have been treated with as much aggression if I wasn’t Black. I mean, I'll give it to you—I was scared and trying to run away, but I don't think that I needed to be restrained in the way that I was. It just seemed like they were so scared of me, like maybe they thought I wasn’t human or something.”

Following that terrifying experience, Augustina returned to Ontario and was able to get into a treatment program a few months later. She credits her recovery in part to that program, as she received care quickly, before her psychosis worsened, and was able to find a community with others going through a similar experience.

Augustina is committed to building that community and sharing her story so others feel less alone and more empowered to get the help they need. One of the many positive things that has come out of her treatment and recovery is finding CAMH—a place to amplify her message and impact. Today, she is a Youth Engagement Specialist at CAMH, working on a number of research projects focused on finding early intervention strategies for young people with psychosis. She is also paving the way for other Black women in research to do the same.

“It means so much to me to know CAMH is giving people like me a seat at the table when it comes to research. I get to be in the room with scientists and researchers and tell them about my experiences. As a young person. As someone with lived experience of mental illness. As a Black woman,” says Augustina. “That’s how we do better research—by giving people a voice about things that affect them. Listening to them. Seeking to understand them. Learning from them. That’s how we get better care.”

She has come such a long way over the past decade and the future is bright for Augustina. As she helps advance CAMH research—and inspires people to support it—she is also creating a brighter future for others who may be facing similar mental health challenges.

“When CAMH does research that helps diagnose and treat mental illness in kids sooner, it means there are healthier young people. Healthy young people turn into healthy adults. Healthy adults mean a healthier world and a more productive society where no one is left behind,” says Augustina. “That shows the kind of impact CAMH research has—it’s global.”