“My name is Melissa Thompson. I am a 52-year-old mother of 2 and grandma of 7. I have always had some anxiety in the past but could never afford to get the medical attention that I needed.
When the pandemic hit my anxiety was in overload. I had so many sleepless nights, where I would worry and stress, and also dealt with depression. I went from living life to thinking about death every hour of the day praying that I live to see another day. I was overwhelmed with my anxiety, but no longer had my best friend to talk to about how I was feeling. She was the one who could calm down my anxiety, but unfortunately, she lost her life to COVID-19.
It was really beginning to be a lot, so one day I was talking to a friend and she told me about our local Community Mental Health Center, Singing River Services. I gave them a call and they made me an appointment. I will say that was the best decision of my life – just having someone to talk to. I started seeing a counselor and was prescribed medication that helps me sleep at night. They regularly call to check in on me to see how things are going. I had never had a problem with my health prior to the pandemic and going to see someone helped me to calm down a bit.
I would tell anyone who may need to talk about the effect the pandemic has had on the lives, don’t feel ashamed. I’m here to tell you that it helped me at a time in life with so many uncertainties and I thank God for Singing River Services.”
