Nikita’s Story

Hashimotos

Growing I never felt like i truly got in with all the other kids. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s at 8 years old, and while other kids didn’t have many responsibilities, I had to make sure I took my medication every day, had to see multiple doctors multiple times a year, and had to get blood tests a lot.  Being diagnosed at such a young age, I didn’t truly know why I had to do all this while the other kids didn’t. Growing up with this chronic illness wasn’t easy, I had to manage multiple symptoms, and everyday was a new challenge. This and multiple other reasons took a big toll on my mental health and I eventually got diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, clinical depression, and ADHD. I wasn’t able to talk to any of my friends or family about this because they wouldn’t understand how hard it was living with an autoimmune disease. There were some days where I didn’t want to wake up and wondered why my own body was fighting itself. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune disease and a chronic illness that attacks the thyroid gland. While there is still no cure, the only thing we can do is manage the symptoms. It truly takes a big toll mentally and physically. But just know that while this journey can be challenging and daunting, you’re never truly alone.