Meet Madison

 

Nothing could have been worse for her than being a teenager in high school—until she became a teenager in high school with depression.

 

Because her parents doubted her feelings of worthlessness, she didn’t call it depression.

 

Not for years.

 

Madison is far from alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Suffering was unbearable. She said she felt as if she was drowning in a pool of self-hatred and self-harm.

 

Madison said these feelings continued throughout high school.

 

She had been constantly bullied, and because of this, it was difficult to maintain her grades.

 

Thinking these feelings would disappear as soon as the current second-year student entered college, it got worse.

 

Before beginning her sophomore year at TCU, Madison's mother finally agreed to take her to the doctor. Her mother went in to her appointment thinking Madison's issue was a physical health-related problem.

 

She was proved wrong by the end of the appointment after the doctor suggested Madison may be depressed.

 

Since her diagnosis in July, Madison has met with a counselor every week.

 

"It's an outlet for me to have someone to talk to," she said. "It's nice to have someone to regularly talk to about deep, problematic things in my life that not everybody understands."

 

Being diagnosed just five months ago, Madison already recognizes her progress.

 

"It's a work in process—I can't fix that over night," she said. "But I do know that what I've learned has helped me to feel better about myself."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madison's issues stemmed from poor body image. Growing up, her mother would make rude comments about Madison's body and her appearnace. She has had a negative view of herself since she was young.

 

Madison knows now that she shouldn't be thinking so poorly of herself, however, when she looks at herself in the mirror, she sees something less than what she wants to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though she has been regularly meeting with a counselor, Madison said she is in no way "better."

 

She said she doesn't think anything can prevent her from having negative thoughts entirely, but that some days are better than others.