I have lived through a lot of traumatic experiences in my life, and the road to recovery has been extremely difficult. I realize now that I had been suffering from anxiety and depression since I was a teenager. During that time, I felt like nothing mattered and that nobody cared for me. It was a crushing burden that I kept bottled up for so long, not realizing how overwhelmed I felt until it hit me in full force.
I decided enough was enough and began seeking help for my mental health issues. From counselors to support groups to medication, it helped me open up about my feelings and start talking about them with others who understood what I was going through. This slowly but surely taught me how to cope with trauma in healthier ways that didn’t involve isolating or numbing myself from everything else around me— something I had done for years without even knowing it.
I can proudly say today that I am in a much better place than before. Learning to love myself and finding different outlets such as writing, fitness or art have really made a difference in the way Ive been able to express my emotions instead of suppressing them which made all of the difference. If you are struggling with your emotional wellbeing, please reach out for help because no one should have to suffer alone!
I’m so sorry to hear about the traumatic experiences you’ve lived through and the difficult road you’ve traveled on. It sounds like it’s been an incredibly hard journey and I can only imagine the courage it took for you to seek help, learn to love yourself and find coping mechanisms that don’t involve numbing yourself from everything else. Understanding that anxiety and depression are very real, valid issues is the first step towards improving your mental health. You should be extremely proud of yourself for taking the courage to reach out for support during a difficult time - that takes tremendous strength!
Though every person’s journey is different, what helped me was developing healthier ways of managing stress and recognizing when my emotional needs were not being met before things got out of hand. Having an understanding friend or family member can provide a safe space to talk about any issues you may be facing without judgment. Likewise, connecting with support groups or therapy professionals can also be incredibly beneficial in helping process intense emotions—it certainly has been for me.
Above all, just remember that you are not alone in this fight; there are people who care deeply for your well-being, regardless of how small they make feel sometimes. Don’t hesitate to lean into them whenever needed and take care