Get To Know HOPE
Hope Walnski
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Institution: Providence College - Providence, RI
Sport: Ice Hockey
Position: Goalie
Hope's Testimonial:
"For the past few years I have struggled with depression. I dedicate all my time to getting better whether it is at the rink or in the gym, I do not take time off but no matter how hard I worked or what I did, I always felt as though I was having a bad day and nothing I did could change that. I always thought that I could control the sadness and make it go away by ignoring the fact that I truly wasn't happy but in reality, this made it worse. Keeping to myself, I bottled everything up, distancing myself from family, friends, and teammates. I was always smiling and happy in front of others. That is what people knew me as, so from the outside, everything seemed completely normal. It was beyond tiring and I would break down almost every night feeling as though I cannot be the happy Hope I used to be.
Letting people in and accepting the help would have been something that I think would have set me up for a better happiness path. I do not think others could have done more, I think I needed to let them do what they wanted to do to help me.
I talk to a therapist and take medication each day. I do a lot of things for myself including working out, yoga, car rides, coloring, and other similar activities. I look up a lot of wellness information online to learn how the brain works and what it needs to be happy."
Sport: Ice Hockey
Position: Goalie
Hope's Testimonial:
"For the past few years I have struggled with depression. I dedicate all my time to getting better whether it is at the rink or in the gym, I do not take time off but no matter how hard I worked or what I did, I always felt as though I was having a bad day and nothing I did could change that. I always thought that I could control the sadness and make it go away by ignoring the fact that I truly wasn't happy but in reality, this made it worse. Keeping to myself, I bottled everything up, distancing myself from family, friends, and teammates. I was always smiling and happy in front of others. That is what people knew me as, so from the outside, everything seemed completely normal. It was beyond tiring and I would break down almost every night feeling as though I cannot be the happy Hope I used to be.
Letting people in and accepting the help would have been something that I think would have set me up for a better happiness path. I do not think others could have done more, I think I needed to let them do what they wanted to do to help me.
I talk to a therapist and take medication each day. I do a lot of things for myself including working out, yoga, car rides, coloring, and other similar activities. I look up a lot of wellness information online to learn how the brain works and what it needs to be happy."