Navid Parvar The Rise of the Phoenix mental health

Attempted suicide survivor turns his life around and starts venture to help others

Nav Phoenix tried to take his own life on multiple occasions. Not only did he survive, but has now turned his life around and focused on helping others do the same. Through his new venture The Rise of The Phoenix, Nav and his team are dedicated to providing help to people struggling with their mental health. We caught up with the founder to talk about The Rise of The Phoenix, mental health, loneliness, addictions, and why YOU matter.

Nav Phoenix interview by Ben Farrin – The Rise of The Phoenix

Can we start by you telling us about The Rise of The Phoenix?

The Rise of The Phoenix is a free social media platform that is based solely on supporting people through mental health and addictions. We provide a safe space where people can speak their truth without judgement or trolling.

What makes us stand out, is that we have a team of experts on hand to offer advice including a nutritionist, CBT therapist, life coach and spiritual mentor. Not only are these people experts in their field, but they have all been handpicked because they have also had their own struggles in life that they have come through. So, they have first hand experience and understand what our members are going through.

At this time when stress and depression are rising and people are feeling pulled deeper into the darkness. We offer them an opportunity to rise. A chance to see the light again. We want to help as many people as we can. Show people they are not alone and can get through their hard times.

The reason I wanted to build this platform is for that exact reason, I know what it feels like to be on your knees in despair and feeling like nobody understands anything you’re going through, even if they tried. I know how lonely that is.

Not only have you suffered with mental health and addiction but you also tried to take your own life on multiple occasions. It feels difficult asking these questions but I also feel we should openly talk about the deeply important subject of suicide prevention. I’ve visited your website and read the reasons why you wanted to take your own life, but would you mind explaining to the readers the reason behind you attempting suicide in the first place?

I tried to take my life several times. My reasoning behind this was simply because I couldn’t see a way out of the hell I was in. All my life’s trauma had built up and I couldn’t run from myself even though I had tried for years with large amounts of drink and drugs to numb the pain and shut it all away. My mind was racing everyday and I honestly thought everyone was better off without me, because I was toxic. I had no fight left in me. I wanted to check out. Not only to stop the thoughts and self loathing, but also to protect those closest to me.

I tried and I survived. I had no idea how I survived but it was a pinky promise from my daughter that made me fight with everything I have to turn my life around. Not only did I survive, but she showed me that I was needed. That I was loved and the thoughts I had been trying to run from, were just thoughts. When I began coming out of my dark place, I focused on creating a purpose for myself, and that purpose is to help others to change their lives so that they don’t have to struggle like I did.

What help did you seek and how did you turn things around?

My first step was to write my book – The Rise Of The Phoenix, this was so healing in itself, being able to tell my story, be heard and release all of my emotions that had been held in for so long. Then I began helping people who were struggling who were also struggling. After such a destructive life I felt I finally found my purpose and was needed more than ever to help others find theirs. This was really helpful with helping me get through but I was really careful to ensure that it wasn’t used to mask my own issues. After I fought my addictions and began feeling slightly better, and sorted myself a new routine and got back into exercise and training. It really helped having things to focus on. I then began a 90 day personalised programme that was a mix of inner child work, hypnotherapy and healing. This enabled me to go back to the root of the issues and help to release the negative emotions around them. Facing up to all the things that had brought me down. So it was a case of feeling better within myself, and then facing up to the real issues once I had felt stronger.

Once you turned things around, how did you manage to keep a positive mindset?

Routine! Keeping a routine is such an amazing tool. Along with the training and nutrition plans for the gym and ensuring I get my exercise in daily to release any frustrations. I also like to meditate and follow gratitude journals. Gratitude is such a powerful way to lift your mood and positivity.

What message would you send to people who are suffering with suicidal thoughts?

In that moment, it can be crushing because your mind goes into overdrive and you really do think that either the world will be better without you or you will be better without the world, but I know for sure that I am not the only person to say, that things do get better. You have to remind yourself in that moment that you are loved and things will get better – it is hard but use other people as an example, speak to someone, don’t hold everything in. If it is too hard to speak to someone, write down your thoughts and give it to someone. Remember that you are not alone and you are not a burden. You matter and so do your feelings.

Do you feel enough is being done by the government and official bodies to tackle mental health issues?

There is definitely more sources available to people that are struggling, but I don’t feel that enough is being done. We have so many members on our site that feel they have been failed by the government and NHS and are stuck in a really dark place, that is absolutely not good enough. We know that resources can be tight, but some people are left waiting 3 months for any help at all and just prescribed tablets in the meantime. There definitely needs to be less waiting times, more support groups and 1:1 help. Since the pandemic, lots of Drs are not even seeing people face to face. Sometimes people just need to be heard and this is not something they are given the opportunity to do.

The pandemic has surely increased peoples mental health issues with motivation harder to find. What do you find is your best motivator?

It definitely has, motivation is something that most people struggle with, so we tell them to start off small. Even if you wake up, make your bed and get dressed – it sets you up for the day and can really increase your motivation. Don’t try to pile too much on your to-do list at first, start slowly, take it one week at a time and slowly add more as you get used to it. Routine is key. But also, don’t be hard on yourself if you do need a break day. People tend to get stuck because their body wants to rest and instead of honouring that they spend the day telling themselves they are lazy and focusing on the things they should be doing, which results in no rest and the cycle continues.

What’s your opinion on social media? Do you feel it contributes towards peoples mental health?

It does, the obvious ones show lots of unrealistic lives. People usually post about just the good times and this can leave people feeling inadequate. Filters have a huge part to play in this too, because we look at perfect faces and feel like we are not good enough and that there is so much more to change within ourselves and our lives, but this isn’t the case, what we see isn’t the whole story. This is why, when we set up The Rise Of The Phoenix, we knew it needed to be a different environment. Not about fake lives and showing off – but more about being real and vulnerable – sharing support and being there for one another.

You offer a “30 day life transformation” coaching programme. What is it that this entails?

It is completely tailored to the individual, we look at where they are in life, what they need and I help guide them by being in contact every day, giving them motivation, setting activities and tasks and setting achievable goals. It is a way for them to get intense one-to-one support so that they can really begin to see changes and transformations in their lives.

What’s the best way to reach out to you or your team if someone is in need?

Join the site for free and either post on the activity page and get advice from us and our members or directly message one of us and we can help guide you in the right direction.

The fastest way to get support is to post on the activity page, just in case one of the team do not see the DM immediately, because we can tag the relevant person and often we will call the relevant person to tell them that someone has posted and needs their support.