You Can't Kill Us by Icon for Hire is a great song (most of their stuff is pretty good at putting emotional goopy messes into words, honestly.)

I've been thinking about how to write this for a long time. I'ts never really felt like its my place to do so because if fixing problems was as easy as saying some words, life would be a lot easier. When i first started posting these updates, it was to work out my brain gloop and to build confidence in actually speaking my mind even if it was with the buffer of anonymity the internet provides. As i kept writing, i found myself with more and more of a desire to offer words of encouragement and/or advice to those reading these post who might need it. Only problem- everything i could say has probably already been said. The longer i left it the more it didnt sit well with me so i decided to do it anyways.

1. I know its overused and i know some of you may roll your eyes and scoff (because i used to do the same) but it really does get better. It isnt easy and it wont happen overnight, but its true. If anyone had come up to me when i was younger and told me that id become the person now and make the recovery i have, id have laughed in their face. Back then i believed i never wouldve gotten better. To an extent, i didnt want to because my pride told me that there was nothing wrong with me. Instead, the problem was everyone else. Eventually i got into therapy (quite unwillingly at first) and realized just how much the depression, anxiety, and self destructive habits were affecting my quality of life. And realized that my own frame of mind itself was worsening things too.

2. get help. mental health still has a large stigma attached to it (some places more than others) and i know shame, pride, or other things prevent people from reaching out. Im going to be completely honest. You cant get better on your own. Even if you cant got to therapy for whatever reason, theres libraries, the internet, and other resources available to people. Do your research, set up a brace of trustworthy friends and/or family to support you, talk to other people that stuggle with the same things you do, get advice for healthy coping mechanisms that work for you and study yourself and your reactions to things. Get medications if you need them. Learn where the boundaries and triggers are and work towards overcoming them, but also know when you need to stop and take a break to you dont push to far. It will take a long time and everyone has their own pace, but it is doable.

3 get away from the situation causing these things if there is one. staying in the situation thats causing things to go sour is a bad idea. Staying can, and most often does, cause things to be waaaayyyy more severe and harder to overcome than they would be otherwise. For those of you who cant get out for whatever reason, make it a goal. Work towards whatever it is you need to do to get free, and do your best to hold on until that day comes.

4 please dont give up. the hardest thing to overcome is yourself. if you give up and believe its impossible, youve already lost.