Cheryl has been with NAMI Greater Toledo for so long, she can’t remember when she joined. All she remembers is reading it somewhere and coming to check it out. The rest is history.
Cheryl is diagnosed with Bipolar II and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD.) Bipolar II is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health as, “a pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown manic episodes.” This basically means that they can go back and forth between being hyper and excited to sad and depressed. ADD is described as, “a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.” This is seen as fidgeting or not being able to sit still, having little concentration and being impulsive.
Cheryl participates in Monday and Wednesday night support groups and volunteers every Tuesday in our office. Along with this, she credits NAMI for helping her stay committed. Not only does she regularly attend, but she also began playing the piano again, and sticking to it because of NAMI.
NAMI Greater Toledo has impacted her life in a huge way. “They saved my life,” says Cheryl. “I don’t know what I would do without NAMI. Just sharing with the other people and listening to what they have to say is inspiring.” She goes on by saying she doesn’t have nearly as many down periods as she used to have. She described herself as “stable,” and builds up her self-esteem daily. “Even if others in my family label me crazy, I know that I am not crazy.”
She lost both of her parents and her brother a while back, but she knows they are looking down on her and see that she is doing great things. She hopes to become an inspiration for her two young grandkids about mental health and she wants to teach them that there are ways to treat it. “I attribute everything to NAMI.”
Cheryl walks because she believes in NAMI and what it represents. “I believe that there are so many types of mental illnesses and I believe that NAMI’s programs help all of them.”
Want to share your story of how NAMI Greater Toledo has impacted you? We would love to hear from you! Contact us!
To read more stories, click here!
Brooke Crockett is a third year student at the Ohio State University with an anticipated graduation of May 2020. She is majoring in Strategic Communication and double-minoring in Professional Writing and Nonprofit Studies. She is the current marketing/PR intern for NAMI Greater Toledo.