Hi..my name is Ivonne and I am 19years old. Since I was little I had pushed myself hard to be good in everything I do, I was a gymnast during my childhood (3-9 years)and now a days I do track and field, I've been on it since I was 10. About six months ago I was talking to my mother about how I felt, I cried a lot, and this was no new scene for her, since she has always been there supporting me, so she has always seen me stressed out. But I guess she had had enough of it and concerned for me, she took me to a friend who's a neurosurgeon for some advice, she thought that it wasn't normal seeing me sad and not being able to control my feelings frequently. This doctor gave us the number of a psychiatrist for me to see, telling me that probably I have chronic depression and that there was a solution. And as the dr said, i had anxiety and depression since I was small and that my disorder was treatable. I had problems with memory, feeling guilty for everything, at times I would overexagerate things, but the worst part was the I was aware of it and I didn't wanted to be that way, so the psychiatrist told me to take Prozac once a day. A couple of months later she also told me to take Epival, that is an emotion stabilizer for my mood changes. After a couple of weeks I began to see the difference in me and in my life. I feel better with my family and boyfriend, I feel more like myself, I'm also seeing a physchologist to learn to manage myself and work on my self-esteem and to not push myself so hard that I feel everything depends on me.
I´m still on treatment, I'll take the pills for about two years more, well, only Prozac, during my gwoing stage. I think even though at the begening I was not really convinced that pills would be the best thing, I, now, recommend to see a specialist, my life haschange a lot and I 'm glad I had the oportunity to open the courtains on the window of my life and see how beautifil it really is.
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Hi Ivonne,
I just wanted to check in to see how you're doing. I've been working on the site today and have been thinking about you.
I would love to have you come to EmpowHer occasionally to post your progress. I'm sure other woman as well as Moms would love to follow your progress. You are one amazing young woman and very courageous, too.
I cannot thank you enough for your willingness to post your story on EmpowHer. You are going to help so many young women. Is there anything we can do to help support you??
Hope you're having a great day!!
Big hugs,
May 3, 2009 - 3:26pmMichelle
This Comment
Hi Ivonne,
Thank you for sharing your story. It is amazing how much stress a child can go through being a competitor in a sporting event. I also was a competition roller skater, gymnast and basketball player growing up. I remember really becoming stressed, upset and crying all the time since I was always too busy to ‘be a kid’.
I also remember having severe stomach problems that I would see my family physician about and all I would do is cry while I was in his office. I am sought professional help at the time and no longer competed. It was overwhelming. I don’t regret stopping either, it no longer was fun.
Your story is very inspirational. Good luck and please stop back to let us know how you are doing.
May 3, 2009 - 9:11amThis Comment
Dear Ivonne,
Thank you so much for visiting the website and for sharing your story with us. I am so glad that you are doing better now, and I applaud your Mom for knowing that something wasn't quite right with her daughter. I'm so happy that you have your Mom to turn to and talk to and it sounds like you have a great relationship.
So many people feel as you do. Stressed and anxious and like the whole world is on their shoulders. Yet they often do nothing about it. But you did. You and your Mom took the bull by the horns and made changes and now you are feeling better and I'm so proud of both of you!
Please keep us posted on how you are doing with your treatment. I'm so glad that you feel the curtains have gone up and you can see the world and the sun again. I look forward to hearing from you again. Big hugs to you, Michelle
April 29, 2009 - 10:14pmThis Comment
It's great to hear that you're responding so well to treatment for your disorders. I certainly hope, though, that you can eventually be weaned off prescription drugs, if that's a possibility for you.
Please do stay in touch and let us know how you're doing.
April 29, 2009 - 6:15pmThis Comment