Mental illness can be treated with success
— CCC grad-to-be discusses her experiences with anxiety at Brown Bag series recently
JEFF MEYERS
Press-Republican Plattsburgh Press Republican Wed May 18, 2011
PLATTSBURGH — Jennifer Quaglietta-Tomolillo has faced the darkness of mental illness but looks toward a bright future with an enthusiasm that is nothing less than infectious for those who know her.
Quaglietta-Tomolillo will be graduating from Clinton Community College with an associates degree in Human Services Friday and will continue her studies in the bachelor-degree program agreement between Clinton and Cazenovia College.
It was not that long ago, however, when the mother of three suffered severe anxiety attacks that occasionally forced her to flee public settings.
"It was almost as if I had become hyper-sensitive whenever people came into contact with me," she said of those episodes she could not explain. "I found that if I left the situation, the anxiety went away."
Quaglietta-Tomolillo spoke of her experiences with mental illness recently during the Brown Bag lecture series hosted by Behavioral Health Services North and National Alliance on Mental Illness-Champlain Valley.
"At that time, I hadn't gone for any kind of treatment," she said. "I didn't know what it was. My heart started pounding and my hands would sweat. I had an uncontrollable desire to leave wherever I was."
To exemplify her own experiences, Quaglietta-Tomolillo presented a video that followed the personal lives of several people who had battled mental illness and found ways to overcome the obstacles their conditions had placed on them.
"It's not my fault; it's not my parents' fault," said one person from the video. "It's an illness that many people deal with."
Recognizing Roots
When Quaglietta-Tomolillo finally sought medical help, she learned that she suffered from a post-traumatic stress disorder that had roots tracing back to a sexual assault. But it took a lot of self-perseverance for her to reach the stage to seek help.
"Physical contact was extremely hard for me, even when family came up to hug me," she said.
A few years after she first visited a counselor and learned of the disorder, tragedy struck again.
"My anxiety increased to a point where it was causing a lot of problems," she said. "That's when I realized I needed help; I was not living the life I wanted to live. I'm a sociable person; I like being around people, doing things with people, but my anxiety was getting in the way."
She initially went on medications as she began treatment but benefited from therapy sessions and was eventually able to control her anxiety without medication.
In fact, she called the 12 weeks of her therapy as "the best 12 weeks of my life" when everything changed and she was able to overcome her anxiety attacks.
Road to recovery
"I've learned to keep my body in check," she said. "After a while, you realize that some of the things you worry about you don't need to worry about."
One speaker from the film summed up the feelings that people with mental illness can reach for their dreams and can succeed:
"I will not let this illness defeat me. I can survive this illness."
"Recovery is not only a reality for some, but a possibility for millions of people affected by mental illness each year," said another speaker.
Quaglietta-Tomolillo has been a facilitator for NAMI for the past several years and entered the Human Services program at Clinton two years ago to support her desire to help others in need.
"Because I've lived through what a lot of other people are dealing with, I can relate to what they're feeling," she said of her success as a facilitator.
Besides carrying a full class load at Clinton and continuing her activities at NAMI, Quaglietta-Tomolillo also became involved in several clubs at the college, including the editor of the Newspaper Club, president of the Honor Society for Human Services and public relations person for Phi Theta Kappa.
"I like to stay busy, to stay involved in different projects," she said.
After she receives her bachelor's degree, Quaglietta-Tomolillo plans to continue her education and earn her master's degree. She hopes to one day counsel people who have a dual diagnosis of mental illness and alcohol/substance abuse
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