LJWorld.com / Journalism student overcomes personal demons to finish degree

Archive for Friday, May 16, 2008

Kansas University senior Thor Nystrom, of Baxter, Minn., has gone from being sucked into the mental health system and attempting suicide to working his way back to health and graduating from KU since prescription drugs started wreaking havoc on his life in 2003. He will walk down the hill Sunday after earning a degree in journalism and plans to work as an intern for MLB.com.

By Jonathan Kealing

May 16, 2008

Thor Nystrom looked the Lawrence police officer in the eye on Oct. 10, 2003, nodded toward his gun and made the simplest of requests.

“Shoot me in the head. No one has to know.”

It was those 10 words — none longer than five letters — that started Nystrom’s year-long descent into multiple prescription drugs, suicide attempts and a four-month stint in the Minnesota mental health system.

“From that second forward, it was a steep decline,” Nystrom said.

But they’re also the 10 words that launched Nystrom to his current position: peering down Kansas University’s Campanile Hill, waiting to graduate.

Chain reaction

The problems started with an innocuous step. Shortly before Nystrom left his home in Baxter, Minn., to come to KU, his psychiatrist placed him on the anti-depressant Paxil because of possible side effects from the Adderall he’d taken for a number of years to treat attention-deficit disorder.

Mix that with the substantial amount of alcohol many college freshmen consume, and Nystrom was taking a toxic cocktail that was causing his brain to process things differently from ever before.

As soon as the police officer heard the comment, he took him to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka. A doctor there diagnosed Nystrom with schizophrenia and placed him on a powerful anti-psychotic drug, Geodon.

“My mind was not right after I got back from that clinic in Topeka,” he said.

Three disorders and countless prescriptions later, Nystrom finally emerged on the other side.

But not before being committed by the state of Minnesota to mental hospitals for four months.

“It really blew my mind that someone made the decision I needed to be locked up,” Nystrom said. “They didn’t talk to me like a real person. They didn’t treat me like a real person.”

Nystrom was committed because of one of his suicide attempts. On the night of his sister’s high school graduation, Nystrom went out to his Jeep in the garage — after taking 10 times the recommended dose of sleeping pills — and stuffed rags in the exhaust pipe. He taped the rags in place, turned the ignition and shut all the doors. And waited to die.

“That was a high point, if you can believe it,” Nystrom said. “Up until that time, from October until May, I’d just go along with what the doctors said. When I attempted suicide, I felt like I was taking control.”

The tape came loose and the rag fell out. His sister, Quinn, came home early that morning from graduations and found her brother in the garage.

Therapy begins

She may have saved his life. He began intensive outpatient therapy. Three weeks later, he was committed.

“That first night he was in the hospital, it was the first good night’s sleep we’d had in nine months,” said his mother, Rachel Nystrom. “After the suicide attempts, I was just glad someone was watching him.”

It was in the hospital where Thor believes someone made the decision that changed his life. His diagnosis was changed from one requiring medication to one requiring therapy. The old Thor began to return.

Patrick Freeman, a childhood friend, was one of the few nonfamily members who visited Thor regularly.

“It was pretty unbelievable,” he said recently from his home in Denver. “It was shocking; he was always such an outgoing boisterous kid.”

In November 2004, Nystrom was discharged. His parents allowed him to return to Kansas in time to start classes at Johnson County Community College in 2005.

“He committed to us he would follow up with the clinic in Lawrence and take the medication,” his mom said. “That was an absolute promise. We sent him off with a lot of trepidation and a lot of prayers.”

It was back in Kansas where he made the decision he credits with keeping his life on track. He quit taking all prescription, mood-altering drugs.

Needless to say, Rachel Nystrom was shocked. But her son was clever with how he told her of his decision.

“He was already on the other side of it” when he told me, she said. “If he’d told me, ‘Tomorrow I’m going off my medication,’ by the time he’d finished his sentence I would have been in the car heading south.”

But now, three years later, the story has a happy ending. After spending three semesters at Johnson County, Nystrom transferred back to KU.

On Sunday, Nystrom will walk down the hill with the School of Journalism and off to an internship with MLB.com covering the Minnesota Twins, his favorite team since childhood.

“This is how the story was to go,” Rachel Nystrom said. “He’s a bright guy with a talent for writing. He’s committed to it. The fact that’s he graduating from KU with a degree is so much sweeter now because of what he’s been through.”

Discussion

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16 May 2008 at 7:49 a.m.

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kufanattic (Anonymous) says…

Best of wishes for a bright future Thor…….You very well deserve it. It is difficult for someone else to know what life has been like for you over the years, but it is wonderful to know that you have overcome and made your life worth living. I am certain that your family and friends are very proud of you.
16 May 2008 at 8:23 a.m.

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KSChick1 (Anonymous) says…

Congratulations Thor! Keep up your good hard work, you will succeed!
16 May 2008 at 8:38 a.m.

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justbegintowrite (Ronda Miller) says…

Thor, best wishes for continued success in your mental wellness as well as for all other aspects of your life. As hard as these experiences were for you (as well as your family, and friends) to go through the fact that you were willing to share your story speaks volumes about the character and strength you carry within you.

God bless you and watch over you always!

To the Lawrence community in general, this is an example of why we need a facility to house people within our own community - so they can have support of friends, and family. It is so important for recovery. And beyond that, for those people who do not have friends and family thank heavens for caring staff at the Lawrence Community Drop-In Shelter, Bert Nash, and the incredible array of experienced professionals at LMH, the Leo Center, Watkins Hospital, etc.
16 May 2008 at 10:11 a.m.

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kansasrose (Anonymous) says…

Thor:

Bravo! What a powerful story, what a powerful experience. I read this in the UDK a few weeks ago and was just blown away. As a mom, I'm so proud of you I can't hardly stand it. As a widow of a man who died by suicide, I'm proud of you as a survivor of suicide. I'm so sorry that the treatment you received in Topeka was so off. Our experience was quite similar. The drug cocktail my husband was put on made him a shell of a person. I wish that your family had been included in the treatment process. Their input would have been invaluable. These prescription drugs can help, but, only if monitored so closely, and certainly not on their own! Geodon is powerful stuff, and nothing to just prescribe and send someone on their way. None of them are.

Back to you, though: I am just so proud of you. You enjoy your graduation day! Bless you and thanks for sharing your story. There are countless others who will identify with your truth.
16 May 2008 at 10:48 a.m.

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ksdivakat (Anonymous) says…

Congrats Thor! And God bless you and your family, you keep moving forward always, and remember where you were, as your story will save countless lives and bring people back from the brink!
I will be thinking of you on Sunday, and my heart swells with pride that you will be taking that walk, against the odds!
You are a true inspiration to all and a real hero….and dont ever forget that there are so many people rooting for you and care about your future here in lawrence!
16 May 2008 at 10:58 a.m.

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lily (Anonymous) says…

Congratulations on all your hard work. You should be very proud. Best of luck in your internship.
God Bless you and yours.
16 May 2008 at 11:11 a.m.

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pattib (Anonymous) says…

most of the important things in the world
have been accommplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.
-dale carnegie
best wishes! you have overcame the worst part, now you will be okay! you have made a major accomplishment & should be very proud.
16 May 2008 at 2:13 p.m.

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vpete69 (Anonymous) says…

I'd like to first congratulate Thor for being able to make a come back from this, and not live the rest of his life making excuses because of his so called 'disorders'. Kudos to you Thor, many people continue to be brainwashed by their parents and shrinks into believing something is actually wrong with them.

But I also want to point out how all this started: drugging all of our children because we are too lazy to be good parents. Our kids have trouble paying attention…give them Ritalin. The Ritalin makes him depressed…give him Paxil. Its sickening. Maybe the kid is just lazy, like you. I have a better idea: take away the distractions like video games, TV and the internet and maybe their attention span wont be so short. Teach them a little discipline in life instead of just slapping a band-aid over the problem.

I'm sure I will get flamed for what I am about to say, but I will not apologize. add, adhd…and all that sh1t….its not real! We have made up these so called disorders to excuse our poor parenting. Did you ever think about how we got along for the last 200 years without Ritalin and Adderall? I mean, I just dont see how the United States has gotten where it is today without drugging everyone up. I have an idea though….maybe we spent time with our kids. Maybe we taught them a little discipline. Maybe we talked to them about their problems. We might have actually CARED.

My freshman year of high school, my mother took me to a psychologist. She thought that my laziness was the result of this terrible disorder that she had heard her friends talk about…ADD. She didnt know any better. My mother was/is the type that believes that kind of sh1t. I was diagnosed with ADD by this prick she took me too. Bullsh1t. I was lazy. It wasn't ADD. I just didnt care about school…it was easy and I find no interest in things that dont challenge me. Short story…I never took the f'n pills, even though they were prescribed. And I went through college with a 4.0 GPA. Behavior modification is the best medicine for laziness. Drugging our kids to band-aid our own shortcomings may make OUR lives easier, but it makes theirs twice as hard.
16 May 2008 at 2:17 p.m.

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TheYetiSpeaks (Anonymous) says…

I disagree. ADD and ADHD are very real. They are just over diagnosed.
16 May 2008 at 2:29 p.m.

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SpiritTat (Anonymous) says…

Awesome and congratulations, Thor! What a story of survival… both because of others and in spite of some others, yourself too, on both sides of that. Thank you for sharing your story!!!

Just a little bit of info for folks reading these comments: Peer advocacy is something becoming more common in mental health treatment facilities and other agencies and non-profits that serve the community of mental health consumers.

People who've had / are having personal experience with mental illness actually work with, along side others attempting to travers the antiquated mental health system.

It's a fast-growing and HIGHLY effective way to volunteer some time as a person who can assist others who need to have their voices heard as legitimate human beings with the Right to be actively involved in their own treatment. (There are also some job opportunities in this area as well.)

That info is for anyone, and possibly you, Thor, once you land whatever great job you wish, upon completion of a pretty amazing internship ;))

Congrats again ~ and be proud of yourself. You deserve to feel all the good that this is !
16 May 2008 at 2:31 p.m.

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SpiritTat (Anonymous) says…

Apologies for my spelling errors ~ typing in a hurry :)
16 May 2008 at 3:04 p.m.

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jeffds01 (Anonymous) says…

what is the relavance for the rest of lawrence regarding this article, great story, but front page worthy?
16 May 2008 at 3:34 p.m.

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Pogo (Anonymous) says…

The throwaway childhood diagnois of adhd (add) which led to more dope got the ball rolling? What? The standard 7 sessions followed by the happy pill Rx solution didn't work for this individual as he aged?

This man sounds like he is a graduate of the Bert Nash Mental Health Center of Lawrence, Kansas school of mental health “treatment”. Good Going@!

One more interesting tid-bit: Kansas and the people of Lawrence in particular (self glorified in their own “We're the best! Yeah!” lunancy) should look to how the state of Minnesota is able to do the things it does in the way of health care.

Kansas' health care administrative system and it's health care delivery system is indicative of it's backwater, hillbilly, pure D stupid leadership.
16 May 2008 at 4:07 p.m.

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Chma1925 (Anonymous) says…

The relevancy for the rest of Lawrence and then some is the old addage, this could happen to you.
No one is indestructible, no one is greater or better than another. Not only that but there is such a message of hope contained in this story.
Someone who struggles with depression may pick up the paper and realize, or be reminded, that depression, thoughts of suicide are not the end. Just as Thor learned, there is life to be lived and there are caring individuals ready to help one live a full and meaningful life.

Congradulations Thor!
16 May 2008 at 6:43 p.m.

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themiddlechild (Anonymous) says…

Congratulations Thor, hope everything goes well for you in the days ahead. Being someone who suffers from depression and attempts suicide a few times and finally get my college degree after more than 10 years, I can tell you life with mental illness will not be easy but glad you can turn your life around.
16 May 2008 at 7:09 p.m.

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gayokay (Anonymous) says…

Hopefully, others will not decide on their own without Dr. advise to chuck their meds. Mental illness kills people the medicine is not the problem. Sometimes it can take several attempts to find the right meds for an individual. Booze and street drugs complicate mental health recovery immensely.

www.KansasEqualityCoalition.org
16 May 2008 at 11:25 p.m.

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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…

On the other hand, they can stop your insurance, so you have no choice but to stop the over 20 daily medications. Some of which are to be carefully weaned off of.
Funny thing was, half of what was wrong with me, went away. The other half rages on.
According to all medical reports these days, I'm 500 times most likely to explode via my brain or heart.

I recommend standing back.
17 May 2008 at 1:36 a.m.

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TheSychophant (Anonymous) says…

To Thor: I hope you realize how strong you really are. Appears to me that not only are you well on your way to conquering your illness, but you also have a very strong sense of self, in that you are willing to discuss your illness in a public forum. Great for you. I hope you realize that your story has probably given strength to others who are fighting similar problems.

To the postive commentators. Bravo. We've come a long way in the last twenty years bringing mental illness out of the closet. Its not something to be ashamed about. Its not about character. Its a genuine disease with typically a biological basis. We need more frank, honest, and non-judgmental discussion of the type many of you have brought to this forum.

To the naysayers on ADD. Yes, it is over diagnosed, but it is also very real. I was diagnosed as an adult with ADD several years ago. And by the way, it is not longer referred to as ADHD. It is now classified as ADD with or without hyeractivity. When I was a child, it was called minimal brain dysfunction. The real proof is whether the medication works, and for me, the stimulants don't “coke” me up, but rather, allow me to concentrate and focus in a way I never dreamed of while growing up.

To those who feel that most mental illness is easily treatable with medication: Not always so. NOt all medication works for all people. There's a lot of guesswork and experimentation involved. And also, beware. The FDA has effectively relinquished its authority to the billion dollar drug companies, who are increasingly putting out on the market dubious drugs with very real and dangerous side effects. If you seek treatment, you should invest yourself in researching and knowing the drugs you are being prescribed. There is plenty of info on the internet. Read, and read more, and particpate in your wellness.

Good luck, all.
17 May 2008 at 7:05 a.m.

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Pogo (Anonymous) says…

It is not to be asserted that ADD does not exist in children. It does. However, it has become a “throw away” diagnosis used by quack like psycho babble preaching mental health “pro's” who have the “on the payroll” psychiatrists write out a Rx with little or no basis. It's easier to look to drugs to solve deeply rooted family issues than it is to actually work on what the real problem is.

Each case is inidvidualized. Now we're seeing more and more “Bi-polar” diagnosis in the under 13 set! We're seeing “conduct disorder” Dx put on 6 year olds! If the failing school systems in our Nation can't deal with the unique needs of a pupil, BANG!, mental illness is the knife to stab that child with and once stabbed….that child remains wounded the rest of said child's life.

It is further comment on just how broken the systems are in the Nation.
17 May 2008 at 7:55 a.m.

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Multidisciplinary (Anonymous) says…

“Now we're seeing more and more “Bi-polar” diagnosis in the under 13 set! “
–––—
I so agree. The very nature of children is bi-polar.
Look at a baby who will start to cry at a sad face but smile before they do and they laugh, repeat.
To say a child is bi-polar is taking away their right to continue on normal paths of development. Heck, if you really look at adults, they still have many tendancies left over from childhood, that could point to being bi-polar.
17 May 2008 at 8:03 a.m.

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peachesncream (Anonymous) says…

it takes alot to be able to have a story such as this one published, I wish this outstanding young man a life time of sucess and happiness…
17 May 2008 at 10:22 p.m.

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Pogo (Anonymous) says…

“If wishes were horses, beggars would ride
“If rocks were molasses, we'd eat 'til we die”.
17 May 2008 at 10:42 p.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

Well, whatever the “reality” is, some of you need to get off this guy's a**!

For whatever reasons, the guy has had a rough road but has made it to the finish line which is really just another starting gate and there will be rough roads ahead.

You never been there; you don't know, so STFU!