How did it all start? When did you first start experiencing symptoms or using?
I was born with my disabilities. I had a lot of anger problems as a kid.
What kind of help did you get at first? Did it work?
I started getting help when I was 7 years old. At that age it wasn’t my decision to get help it was my grandparents. When I was 14 I decided then that I still needed help and agreed to do therapy and medication management.
Were there any turning points where things really started to change for the better?
When I was between 13 and 14 I was having a lot of problems with impulses and depression and anger. It got so bad that I left my house and got put into a group home. I thought I would be going right back home, but I was put in a foster home. It had a big effect on me.
What’s your life like now? What have you been able to accomplish, and what are you working towards?
Now I go to therapy to help with depression and life skills. My life is stable. I take my medication every day and go to group at the Young Adult Services every week.
What would you say to people who are having a tough time? What’s helped you that you wish you had known earlier?
Talking about the past and your problems is tough but it really helps! It takes a while, but in the long run it’s worth it.
