A young woman has penned a book about her mental health journey that she hopes will help others.
Shamar Sebonka, 26, from Hawston says the 45-page book of poetry is based on her life experience and will be launched in December.
It took seven years to complete Shammah and the butterfly on the cover symbolises her transformation, she says.
“My target audience is people dealing with mental health and people that have lost hope.
“With this book, I want their journey to not be the same as mine because a lot of people deal with their circumstances and heal differently but the pain is the same, deep inside.”
Shamar says she grew up with low self-esteem after being bullied as a child and at the age of 13, she was suicidal.
“I was born with a hand deformity and when I was young I used to hide it because I was emotionally bullied by kids.
“I had a lot of self-hatred, I was petrified of speaking to people and I was a loner in school.”
She used to cut herself but realised it was not a solution.
She says a year of counselling and religion was her salvation.
"I was tired of the cutting, I started praying and found healing in church.
“I believe there is so much power in words because my mind was transformed.
The book will be sold at R150 a copy. Visit the Shamar Speaks Facebook page for details.