Gomez has also let it be known that the road to feeling better can be long and full of twists and turns.
“Last year, I was suffering mentally and emotionally and I wasn’t able to stay all kept up and together,” Gomez said while accepting the McLean Award, given to those who have furthered the public’s understanding of psychiatric illness and mental health, at the Massachusetts hospital’s annual gala in September 2019. It was difficult to smile and keep the world looking normal. “It felt like my whole life was thrown into chaos, and I was overwhelmed by my anxiety and all of my pain.
She continued, “I sought help and the doctors were capable of giving me a clear diagnosis.” I was both scared and relieved at the same time when that information came to my attention. It was terrifying, of course, that the veil had been lifted. But I felt relieved to know why my anxiety and depression had been so severe for years.
Noting how grateful she was for the support system at McLean, Gomez added, “Although this does not mean that it has all gone away, I can say that after a year of a lot of intense work, that I am happier, I am healthier and I’m in control of my emotions and thoughts more than I’ve ever been.”