Dear family, friends, and neighbors,
I am writing this little story about myself in hopes that maybe you can all understand the life I have lived and the change that has occurred in me. Some of you know that I have lived a life of deep sorrow, sadness, depression, anger and anxiety. Oddly enough, I never understood why, because I have been so very blessed throughout my life.
As a child, I was extremely shy and had a very hard time making friends. Talking to people I didn't know was out of the question. As time went by I became lonelier and lonelier. When I went off to college things got a little better but the anxiety I experienced got worse. I wouldn't talk to people, I just relied on others to talk for me. When people asked me a question I would look to others to answer for me. Again it took me into a life of deep sadness and loneliness because I couldn't even communicate with people.
As time went by I became more depressed, lonely and angry. I wanted friends but didn't know how to talk to them. I wanted relationships with others but it was easier to push people away then get hurt because I couldn't talk to them and because of the anxiety I would have over thinking about what to say. Group activities and one on one situations were out of the question. If by chance I did have to interact with people I would have to try and put on a front that wasn't really me and it was exhausting and I would have to hibernate in my house for days, avoiding anyone and everyone that I could.
Over the last 20 years I have been on several different medications, and seen several therapists. We would talk and talk and nothing seemed to help. I didn't see a day that I didn't spend several hours a day in bed. At the end of the day I would be so grateful to have just gotten through the day, if only not to have to live through another one. As trials would come, I would retreat more and more into my own private little world, which only made me lonelier and more depressed. Most of my mornings were spent in a fog or haze, as I couldn't even think clearly. My sweet husband would ask what he could do for me that day and I would always cry and say get me a new brain. I just wanted a new brain that would let me think clearly and be happy. I just wanted to be happy. Life was so hard and painful and I just wanted to be able to function like a normal person. I couldn't get even the smallest of tasks done because my brain would not let me. I had a perfectly healthy body with a brain that wouldn't let it perform.
After many years of living like this, I couldn't do it any longer. The pain and despair I felt was more than I could bare, therefore deciding to take my life. I tried suicide, to no avail. Luckily I was spared. Again, I continued on with life, living the way I did, on and off of different meds. only trying to keep going as best I could. How could God expect me to live this way when all he wanted for me was to be happy. I just didn't understand. Fast forward a couple of years and many many trials later to about six months ago. Again I had had all I could stand. I couldn't do it any longer. So again, suicide was the answer for me. With my family gone, I took every pill I could find in my medicine cabinet. The next thing I new there were several police officers standing in my room and I had just won a free pass for a week to a mental health hospital. After I was released I was placed on several heavy doses of medication that made me feel numb, listless, made me gain weight and they didn't even help.
A few weeks later a good friend dealing with the same illness, told me about a vitamin that she was taking and how it had helped her tremendously. I was willing to try anything at this point. I couldn't live the rest of my life as I had the last 20+ years. She gave me a book to read called "A promise of Hope". A wonderful story about a lady named Autumn Stringam that had been cured of her bipolar disorder by taking a vitamin supplement called Q96. Of course skepticism came over me but I was willing to give it a go. Like I said, I was desperate. After taking the vitamin for a week I didn't notice much difference, but was willing to continue taking it. The prescribed medications did nothing for me either, but I took those, so why not continue taking these and see if they helped. After two weeks I started noticing very small changes. I wasn't as tired and my thoughts became more clear. After taking them for about a month I noticed huge differences. I no longer took naps during the day. I could get up in the morning with my children and I was awake when they got home. I could accomplish more in a day than I had ever dreamed of accomplishing. Still I was skeptical, but I couldn't deny the fact that I was feeling better. So I continued. I have now been taking them for a little over two months and the results are astounding. I have never felt better in my life. I have a job, I talk to people I don't know, I don't experience the anxiety that debilitated me before and I am finally experiencing life as a normal functioning human being does and it is so exciting to me. This is not to say that I don't have bad days, because I do, but I am able to deal with them a lot better. And do I experience sadness? Of course, I do. But again it doesn't take over my life and debilitate me like before.
I can remember sitting in a class at BYU and having a discussion about depression. The professor had had a conversation with someone that was diagnosed with depression. This individual had said that he would rather have cancer or some other debilitating disease, because then maybe someone would feel sorry for him. I knew exactly how he felt. Here I was in a world of loneliness and pain and no one felt sorry for me, gave me any sympathy or even knew what I was experiencing. In our society, we don't talk about mental illnesses. But it is a disability like any other.
I am not here to make you feel sorry for me or give me sympathy. I am here to stand up and let people know what my story is and be one of the few that is willing to talk about mental illness. I want everyone to know that it is o.k. if you suffer from depression, anxiety, ADD or ADHD, Autism or any other illness. There is hope. I want people to be able to come and talk to me about it because it is the only way to help each other through this. I feel so much better about life that I actually look forward to the next day and what it will bring. I have so much living to do thanks to Q96.
Q96 is a vitamin that gives us the essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function as a whole. Without these vitamins we cannot perform at our best. It has changed my life and I want it to help change the lives of those that are ready and willing. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about these vitamins or would like to talk to me about how it has helped me please do not hesitate to email, text or call me at anytime. I also have several copies of the book if anyone is interested in reading it. There are also many testimonials and youtube videos online that you can look up to get more information. Just do a google search for Q96 or Autumn Stringam. It has been life changing for me and I want to help change others lives too. I have so much hope for the future and I want to help provide this hope to others. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Amy Ricks
801-874-4090
4rickschicks@gmail.com
amyricks.myqxlife.com
