NADIA'S STORY

Hi! My name is Nadia! I love to travel and play sports and do anything that will keep me busy. I have struggled with mental health conditions for all of my life. I know why I have them and I also know that it is not my fault. Middle school and high school were very challenging for me because I was not good with interacting and socializing with people. To try and keep my spirits up I would go to the gym and play sports. It helped me relieve my stress and depression a great deal. I graduated high school in 2008. I moved out on my own when I was 17 and have been getting better as I have been getting older. I have never been influenced by any one which is a good thing. I have never been tempted to smoke or do drugs. I also don't take any medication because when the doctor would prescribe me I would either physically get very sick or it would make me get worse. I did ECT for about a month and it helped me a lot. I also started going back to the gym recently and I would say that is my anti-drug. When people look at me and meet me they think I am normal. I will admit that makes me happy. I try and act as normal as possible but I also just be myself. I think my will power is strong enough to let me get through life and I am grateful for that. It's all what you want in life and then going after it. I wanted to be a strong, independent woman and that is what I have become!

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