Fighting for my Kids and my Mental Health

I am a mother of 3 children who are 19, 16, and 13. I was a stay-at-home mom and took care of my kids on a daily basis. Almost 8 years ago now, my children were taken from me and placed in foster care due to my husband at the time. I fought for 5 years to get them back. I battled the court systems, the state, and went above and beyond what was being asked of me. Then my health took a turn for the worse and I became very ill.

During the years that I was fighting for my children, I was working 3 jobs every single day, had no place to live, and was about to have a major life-changing operation. Then almost 3 years ago, my ex-husband was arrested by the FBI/Us Marshalls and I was all alone again. I have had numerous years of different therapies, medications, and different doctors. 

This is something that I still battle with every single day. I am just now at a point in my life where my anxiety and depression are somewhat manageable. I do still have flair-ups, but I have learned how to manage them for the most part. 

This story is only a very brief description of my journey. There is so much more that I could add. And I share this because I want to help people. I would love to start up my own campaign so that I can reach out and provide help for other folks in the same or similar situations. That's why I wanted to share my story with ADAA, because I feel that when people are battling things, sometimes other people's stories and journeys will give them the willpower and drive to keep going.  ADAA's website has helped me to continue to be strong, and when I feel that I am starting to spiral downward, I find the power to pick myself back up and keep going!

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