ELYSSA'S STORY: Depression, Anxiety and Suicidal Ideation

Written by Elyssa's mother

Elyssa was a bright, beautiful, extremely outgoing girl. What made her happy was a house full of family and friends. She was an avid reader and liked to journal and write poetry. She saw things as either right or wrong. She had a tremendous amount of empathy towards kids who were treated unfairly. She was impulsive and lived life to the fullest. She was a risk taker but cared what the result was and how people perceived her. She was very sensitive. She pretended to be tough on the inside but wasn't. She was funny and made funny faces to get you to laugh. She tried to help others with their problems. She loved her friends and they were her world.

When Elyssa was twelve years old she was sexually assaulted by a teenaged boy. Following the assault, Elyssa was hospitalized and diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. I was also informed that Elyssa had a predisposition to depression. It was the sexual assault that pushed her over the edge.