Wilbraham native Nicole Albano was a senior at Anna Maria College studying graphic design when her speech suddenly began slurring. Then she started having spasms in her arms, her face drooped, and she had an unsteady gait, along with other dexterity issues.

After seeing a neurologist, getting an MRI, an electromyography test, and blood tests, she was diagnosed with dystonia, a movement disorder where involuntary muscle contractions affect various parts of the body.

This was caused by Wilson disease, a rare genetic condition. She had to stop driving because of the muscle spasms, and she had trouble writing—and even making meals, buttoning buttons, and tying her shoes.

“I took two years off from college to focus on getting better,” she said. Albano went through physical, occupational, and speech therapy to help improve her facial and body movements, and underwent Botox injections to reduce excess muscle activity. She had also become depressed, but she sought counseling, and was able to return to college, graduating in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design.

What also helped get Albano past her depression and despair was self-publishing a book about her struggles, Be Strong and Continue On: Overcoming Obstacles (Gatekeeper Press, 2016).

“I don’t let my medical condition control my life, and even though it is a big part of my life, it doesn’t define me,” she said.

Albano is a freelance graphic designer and she founded an online apparel shop, Attitudes and Gratitudes, which features inspirational (along with witty and sarcastic) t-shirts, mugs, and more. But with her job comes a lot of stress, because she is a one-woman show taking on multiple roles. “I do everything from creating content, handling orders, taking photos and videos, marketing, and shipping,” she said. For the last two years, Albano has been receiving services from CHD’s Park Street Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic in West Springfield. “My therapist gives me a lot of advice on handling anxiety and gives me tips on how to improve my mental health,” she said. “I can be very hard on myself because I love what I do for work, but she tells me to take mental health days when necessary, and to stay positive and remember that everyone has bad days—just as long as you’re not depressed for several days in a row.”

During her worst bouts of depression when she was first diagnosed with dystonia, Albano recalls staying in bed all day, but over the years she has come to terms with her disease—and depression. “I realized that I couldn’t live my life wallowing in self-pity,” she said. “You’re dealt with the cards you’ve been given, so you have to live your life to the fullest, even if you have to go down a different path.”

She had originally been diagnosed with Wilson disease when she was 10. It’s a so-called “invisible disease” in that it can progress silently for years, and once treated, it seems innocuous enough where up to 25 percent of patients stop taking their medication, which can cause such conditions as dystonia. That is what happened to Albano in college. “I felt fine enough,” she said, “so I figured, ‘Why do I need to take my medicine?’” Then she couldn’t feel her foot on her gas pedal when she got behind the wheel, which “crushed my independence.” Now she can drive, thanks to medication that alleviates her muscle contractions, and she supplements her income by working part-time for DoorDash.

She wrote her book hoping that sharing her experience would comfort others in similar situations, and she also felt a need to educate people in general about dystonia. “I wanted them to know that this disease can make you feel awful on the inside, even if you look normal on the outside,” she said. Similarly, regarding her mental health journey, mental illness—like dystonia and Wilson’s disease—can be an invisible illness, and she has found comfort telling her story to others. “I hope I can help people with depression and anxiety,” she said. “I think a lot of people aren’t getting the help they need. They keep it all to themselves. So, if I can help someone, why not share it?”