GILLIAN'S STORY
My name is Gillian. I am 25 years old and I have been involved with the Department of Mental Health since the age of 14 as a consumer. I’ll start with a bit of a background. I was always a good student, involved in many sports, part of Boston Ballet, and very social.
When I was 13, though, I developed an eating disorder, known as Anorexia Nervosa. It was a way of coping with my stress, numbing myself, and gaining control in a life that I felt was not in my control. I did not realize the huge implications it would have on my life in the future.
After numerous medical hospitalizations, I entered my first psychiatric hospital and learned I also had depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Then began the cycle of hospitalizations, residential programs, group homes, and supported housing programs.
DMH came into my life early on in the recovery process, for which I’m very grateful. I was assigned a DMH case manager who attended each of my meetings at the places where I was living and took me out in the community to spend time with me. My case managers always made sure I had access to all the resources I needed; such as housing, vocational, educational, financial, and therapeutic resources.
I have had the same case manager, for about seven years now. She is more than I could ever ask for. She provides me with so many resources and is also a major support in my life. I know I can always count on her. On the days when I had felt like giving up, she had never given up and never will give up on me.
Today, I live in a young adult independent group home, where everybody is very supportive. I have a car, am working on my college degree, and am working as a Project Assistant, which I love, at Transitions RTC.
When I was 13, though, I developed an eating disorder, known as Anorexia Nervosa. It was a way of coping with my stress, numbing myself, and gaining control in a life that I felt was not in my control. I did not realize the huge implications it would have on my life in the future.
After numerous medical hospitalizations, I entered my first psychiatric hospital and learned I also had depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Then began the cycle of hospitalizations, residential programs, group homes, and supported housing programs.
DMH came into my life early on in the recovery process, for which I’m very grateful. I was assigned a DMH case manager who attended each of my meetings at the places where I was living and took me out in the community to spend time with me. My case managers always made sure I had access to all the resources I needed; such as housing, vocational, educational, financial, and therapeutic resources.
I have had the same case manager, for about seven years now. She is more than I could ever ask for. She provides me with so many resources and is also a major support in my life. I know I can always count on her. On the days when I had felt like giving up, she had never given up and never will give up on me.
Today, I live in a young adult independent group home, where everybody is very supportive. I have a car, am working on my college degree, and am working as a Project Assistant, which I love, at Transitions RTC.
