Katie

I’m studying to be a Pediatric Physical Therapist. When I was a kid I went to physical therapy a lot because I was an athlete. I have ADHD, anxiety, and depression. For me it looks like insomnia, panic attacks, and lack of motivation to do any work. Dealing with school work is hard on its own, but I have to manage studying and doing what’s good for me to prevent a breakdown. I’ve tried a lot of different things over the last decade, magnetic stimulation therapy, seven different meds, etc. Now I’m going to therapy once a week, it mostly helps me cope with the negative self talk. Mental wellness to me means having more good days than bad, not necessarily everyday on cloud nine, but having a sense of calm. It’s definitely a roller coaster. Sometimes I’ll go weeks or months feeling like I’ve beaten it, but then it goes.The school work load is really intense and there’s so much pressure not to fail. I have to give up my social life the only friends I see are my roommates or people at school. I’ve missed my sister’s performances, grandma’s surgery, and other family events. When I’m done I hope I get to look back at all the sacrifice and realize that not having a life for 3 years was worth it.