Hello, my name is Noelle. I came from a wonderful, but dysfunctional, middle class family. There was Dad, Mom, and also my two brothers. Both my Mom & Dad were alcoholics. Mom was extremely verbally abusive to us kids.
When I was 17 I went to a mental hospital. I was diagnosed with severe depression and was suicidal. When I returned home I shot myself with my father’s handgun. After this I was stable and volunteered at the hospital and was later able to live on my own.
Years later, I got a call from an agency saying someone I knew had stolen my identity. I had to get lawyer, he proved I didn’t do anything. Everything seemed fine, but soon after I developed paranoia which eventually got worse. I ended up in a mental hospital. At that time I made a call to my brother. He offered to come and get me. At the time, I was living off my credit cards and lived in a hotel.
In 2010, I moved in with my brother. I continued to struggle with my mental health even though I was taking my medicine, it wasn’t helping. Once again, I felt hopeless, and wanted to end my life. I had suicidal thoughts and developed a bad scheme in my head. I wanted the police to shoot me dead. So I went into a fast food place and pretended I had a gun in my pocket. The police who came shot me. That was my plan, but God’s grace was with me. God’s grace was there again with me when I went to jail. The other women there treated me like family.
I have to thank the ADAMHS Board, who picked me to go into McKinley Grove apartments 9 ½ years ago. They chose me in spite of my charges. I am forever grateful. Over the last 3 ½ years I have not been to a mental hospital.
