As an infant, there wasn’t anything noticeably different with my oldest child Aeron’s development, but once she started school, I could sense that something was a bit different than most other children. Learning to read was a challenge for the first year, but eventually, she got the hang of it and now seems to read at an accelerated level. Math, on the other hand, has continued to be a struggle. Even simple addition and subtraction problems are still a challenge even at 17 years old. Focus and retaining information have also been a constant challenge. One teacher stated that sometimes, when teaching the class, Aeron would appear to just be “staring off into space” and not comprehending what was being said. Aeron was tested at her school for ADHD and other learning disorders that might be affecting them. Those tests all came back showing Aeron was in the “normal range,” but I still felt like there we were missing. There were some emotional and behavioral concerns as well. Aeron always seemed a bit aloof and didn’t like to talk a lot. She had a sensitivity to certain textures of clothing. She would complain that certain sweaters were itchy, or her pants were scratchy. She would only wear soft pants and leggings and refused to wear all jeans. Forgetting things was a common occurrence and often Aeron would seem to be intentionally ignoring instructions. Aeron would often complain of stomach pain, and headaches but since doctors couldn’t find anything that could be causing them, I thought she might be making it up to miss school. In her early teen years, Aeron showed signs of depression and anxiety, so we started her on an antidepressant. She seemed better for a year or so but then ended up in the hospital following an overdose of her prescription. Aeron was admitted to an inpatient mental hospital for a week and then participated in an extensive outpatient program for 3 months. I also found a new general doctor for Aeron to help with medication management. This doctor suggested that we get Aeron tested for Autism and ADHD. Autism isn’t something I had ever considered for Aeron, but after researching, it started to make sense. The sensory sensitivities, the misreading of social cues and verbal communications, and emotional problems were adding up. Not being able to stay on task, forgetfulness, and getting easily distracted and overwhelmed can be signs of ADHD. The anxiety could explain the frequent stomach pain and headaches. Add depression on top of it all, and the puzzle pieces were starting to fit. Aeron’s autism testing was inconclusive. Due to the emotional issues happening at the same time and already being a teenager with raging hormones, the doctors weren’t confident in making a definitive diagnosis. But I believe Aeron has a form of high-functioning autism. The doctor did diagnose Aeron with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. We started Aeron on some different medications and also got her into some good counseling. We’ve seen some good improvement over the past two years. Despite the hardships that Aeron has experienced over the years, she is quite emotionally intelligent. She is very emotionally aware and able to explain her feelings and thoughts with ease. She is intuitive and sensitive to others’ needs and feelings. Her writing is very detailed and sophisticated, and her artistic ability is uncanny. Being different can also be a gift in many ways, as Aeron proves to me every day! Struggling with my own depression and anxiety disorders over the years as well as raising a neurodivergent child has given me a stronger sense of empathy towards those struggling with their mental health issues. ADHD is a lot more than not being able to sit still, and Autism can be mild enough to be misdiagnosed as something else or missed altogether. One of my goals of becoming a social worker is to help raise awareness of mental illnesses and neurodivergence, especially in children. I want to be an advocate for these misunderstood children and aid in getting them treatment as early as possible. I wish I would have known a lot earlier what I know now. An earlier diagnosis and treatment would have helped Aeron tremendously in school and life in general. I hope to educate parents and teachers on how to better detect these concerns in children. These issues don’t have to be a stumbling block. Once the underlying concerns are addressed, these children can better share their unique gifts with society.

For almost as long as I can remember, I have lived with mental illness. In my early teens, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It wasn’t long after that it was determined that I also was suffering from depression. Over the next few years, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder were added to my list of mental illnesses. There have been a couple of times in my life when I was afraid that I would never be able to function “normally” and live a fulfilled life. I learned, though, that with the aid of medication and psychotherapy, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Doctors prescribed me antidepressants and I have participated in counseling on and off to help me manage my symptoms and learn ways of coping with the daily struggles that come with these conditions. Despite the public awareness that has been spreading in recent years, there are still a lot of negative stigmas surrounding those suffering from mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder just to name a few. These conditions can be just as debilitating as physical ailments such as diabetes and heart disease. People suffering from mental diseases have physical differences in their brains that need to be addressed just as one would a physical malady. One cannot simply just “snap out of it” or “just think positive” as many might suggest. Unless one has personal experience or has a close friend or relative dealing with these types of problems, it’s hard to truly empathize and understand the seriousness of it. Struggling with my own depression and anxiety disorders over the years as well as raising a neurodivergent child has given me a stronger sense of empathy towards those struggling with their own mental health issues. Helping others has always been a passion of mine, and I want to use my own experiences to be able to help others overcome their own mental health challenges. I am now 36 years old, and I have made the decision to go back to college to get a degree. My goal is to become a licensed social worker so that I can give others the guidance and lessons that I have learned. I also want to be an advocate to help spread awareness of mental illnesses and the stigma that they can have. I am constantly looking for ways in my community and even using existing social platforms such as Instagram and Facebook to help spread awareness of these issues and create better availability of affordable treatment. Having a mental health diagnosis doesn’t have to define a person. There is treatment, and there is hope for a better future. I want to bring that hope to others and let them know they are not alone in this fight.

I was always a fit and active child, so I never thought much about health or fitness growing up. I played several sports and participated in dance lessons as well. My weight was never a concern and never had any major health concerns. After giving birth to my first child things changed drastically. I wasn't as active, had a full-time desk job, and did not eat very healthily at all. Fast food was a common part of my diet as well as plenty of sugary snacks. It wasn't long before I was 50 pounds heavier than my normal 130 lbs. I was only 23, but my body was feeling more like a 50-year-old. When I was nearing 180 lbs, I realized I needed to make some serious lifestyle changes to prevent my health from declining further. I started small. I would do light cardio workouts 5 times a week, cut out all soda, and limited my sugar intake. I slowly started to lose the excess weight and gain more energy. My workouts started to get more intense but were mainly cardio such as running, cycling, and light HIIT. I eventually reached my goal of getting back to 130 lbs. I started to add more weights into my training sessions, and now do more weight lifting than cardio. I have fallen in love with taking care of my body. Strength training is something I look forward to every day and fueling my body with nutritious foods has become easy. My workouts and healthy eating habits have become a permanent part of my lifestyle. They are no longer a chore and something I actually enjoy doing. I am better able to do things that I love such as hiking, paddleboarding, and cycling as well as keeping up with my kids! Having a healthy and active lifestyle is something I also want to teach my children. It's not only for myself that I maintain this lifestyle but now it's also for my kids. I want to instill in them healthy habits so that hopefully they may avoid preventable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers. The world has become so dependent on fast and convenient food, which is packed full of harmful ingredients. It's only going to get worse as time progresses. Obesity has become prevalent and I believe it has a lot to do with all the processed and sugar-filled food that is so commonly consumed. I want my children to see the benefits of choosing healthy over convenience.