Emma's Story

I used to be so sensitive and take things so personally. I was abused mentally, emotionally and physically by my loved ones, everything hurt and when I was hurt I became angry. Anger lead to regret and regret took me to sadness. After many break downs and harming my body, I was diagnosed with a mental illness.

This label made sense to me. This label was me. After being labeled I felt like there was nothing I could do to get better but make myself more of a mess. Nothing made me happy. I didn’t understand how I could be this way and how God could let me live in such a horrible space. I gave up. I became a drug addict and I didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. As I grew older my problems multiplied. I survived high school somehow and graduated. I had good friends but I was still a drug addict, and depressed. When was I going to get better? Who could help me? Why am I the way I am? These questions never stopped and believe me; I wanted to just be normal! But I didn’t know where to start or how to help myself.

I was nineteen years old when I first decided I was sick of the life I was living and I wanted to be healthy. I needed a change. I needed to stop doing drugs. I needed to become a better human being. So I got my own psychiatrist and he helped me. My best friend at the time told me that if I didn’t stop doing drugs I was going to die. For the first time I didn’t want to die, I wanted to live. I wanted to love myself. I wanted to be happy. I had hope but I didn’t have the tools or knowledge to help myself until I found a Wellness Center.

They gave me a new perspective, hope, tools, support and faith. I knew I could get better and I was getting better every day. I have been sober for two years. And I’ve been on medication, which has improved my life greatly, for about six months. I am walking strongly down my road to recovery and I couldn’t have done it without help from a Wellness Center.

I hope you will find your wellness center and begin to feel better. Never give up. Have hope. There is nothing wrong with you and you will get better. Just believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to ask for help. There is always a light at the end of a dark tunnel. You will recover and you will lead a normal life. Just keep trying.