‘They saved my life’
Melanie’s* mental health journey likely began when she was an adolescent. She recalls experiencing depression, but she didn’t get help or a diagnosis until 2019.
“I had pneumonia and experienced some psychosis and deep depression. I broke down and couldn’t handle the emotions inside me. It got really bad for me,” she shared.
Psychosis is a condition where a person’s mind loses contact with reality. When this happens, it’s called a psychotic episode.
Melanie was admitted to the behavioral health unit at Advocate Christ Medical Center. She was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, a condition marked by a combination of schizophrenia symptoms and mood disorder symptoms. She was treated at the hospital for two weeks.
“Afterwards, I was not really convinced I had schizoaffective disorder. It didn’t sound like me. I thought maybe I’d been misdiagnosed, and I stopped taking my medication.”
Without her medication, Melanie had two more psychotic episodes and was admitted to the hospital for a second time.
“The last episode really played with my sense of reality. It felt real, and I couldn’t get myself out of it,” she recalled. “I didn’t know who I was. I questioned myself and my existence. It was very confusing and scary. I thought I was going to die.”
Melanie knew she would need to stay on her medication, constantly monitor her own feelings, emotions and surroundings, and continue therapy in order to be the healthiest person – and mother – she can possibly be.
“There’s no shame in needing help or medication to make myself a better functioning person. I need to be able to take care of my son. I also have a full-time job with responsibilities and people who depend on me.”
Melanie also worked with counselors at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital. She’s grateful for the support and care she received at both hospitals – and for the medical and mental health professionals who helped her get to where she is today.
“They are so knowledgeable, and it was clear that they really cared about me,” she said. “They took time to get to know me. They were loving, caring and so patient working with me. They wanted me to have the best mental health possible.”
Sharing her gratitude
Melanie was inspired by her experiences to share her story on Advocate Aurora Health Foundations’ expressions of gratitude web page. She credits her care teams for saving her when she was at the lowest point of her life.
“This is something I’ll always have to deal with, and I’m okay with that,” she said. “I don’t want to regress. I will continue to take medication and work with my therapist, psychiatrist and nurses. They saved my life.”
How you can help
Advocate Christ Medical Center’s behavioral health program relies on philanthropic support to provide compassionate and comprehensive care in a healing environment, along with resources to help patients like Melanie stay well once they go home. You can help support these programs by making a gift or sharing your story of gratitude.
About Behavioral Health
The Adult Behavioral Health Program at Advocate Aurora Health provides evidence-based treatment and support to help people struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues. We believe you are not defined by your illness. Our psychiatrists, doctors, therapists and nurses treat everyone in our behavioral health programs with sensitivity and compassion. Condition-specific adult mental health services and substance abuse treatment offer a holistic approach that addresses the physical, psychological and social aspects of a condition.
We want you to feel healthy, safe and stable. Our behavioral health programs are designed to help you develop personalized strategies for managing stress, panic, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, anger, irrational fears or other emotional and behavioral problems.
*The patient’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.