My first depression hit in high school after a major car accident. The day I returned to school, there was a fire alarm and I had excruciating pain due to my concussion. I isolated, but thought I’d get through once I got to college and could start a new life. I didn’t know that more mental health struggles lay in my future.

In my early 20s, I explored psychedelic drugs and lived my own real life Alice in Wonderland story. My memory of these times is a bit like trying to remember a nightmare now, everything was very surreal. I was diagnosed with drug induced psychosis but it persisted.

I am so lucky to have had people around me that guided me and supported me. My eventual diagnosis came in my mid-20s with schizoaffective disorder, which I have well managed now. I finished my Masters degree in Dec 2021 in Public Administration with an Environmental Emphasis. I want to work for a nonprofit and give back to my community while bringing attention to mental health.

 

 

Emily is a public servant seeking work with nonprofits/the public sector in Boise, Idaho. She believes small contributions and encounters can make a big impact.