A Depression Success Story

Stacy Hollingsworth was a happy child. She had loving parents, plenty of friends and participated in sports and dance. But when she was about 12 or 13 years-old, her outlook began to change. She started to withdraw from her friends and didn’t enjoy the activities she used to. Her attitude shift was so gradual, she didn’t even know it was happening or what it was. During her freshman year of high school, Hollingsworth began to have suicidal thoughts, which she knew was not normal. She did some research online and self-diagnosed her depression.

Hollingsworth didn’t tell her parents because she was afraid they’d blame themselves. She was also too afraid to tell anyone at school for fear that her illness would keep her from getting into college. However, once she made it to her freshman year at Rutgers University in New Jersey, she sought help. By the time Hollingsworth made it to the counseling center, she had been suicidal for a while and was hospitalized for many days. It would be the beginning of a long quest to find a depression treatment that was right for her. It took a two-year hiatus from school and numerous medications and side effects before Hollingsworth finally found the right medication: Parnate.

“I tried everything from acupuncture to shock treatment," she says. "I had to deal with all the side effects—from flu symptoms to heart palpitations. I suffered a huge memory loss from the shock treatment. I had to relearn names, numbers, and a lot of English."

Hollingsworth now speaks about her experience dealing with depression all across the United States and has devoted her life to helping others. She’s also been interviewed by The New York Times and MtvU about her illness. Let Hollingsworth experience be a reminder that help and the right treatment is out there for you.

How long did you keep your depression to yourself? Were you afraid (or not) of telling people? What were their reactions when you did tell them? [North South Brunswick Sentinel]