“You’ll be ok! And ok is enough. Stay surviving!”

Share your stigma experience.

I’ve had depression and anxiety what seems like my whole life. (not that I’ve lived a whole lot).

When I was 8, I was put on medication and did some therapy and it worked for a year then I was weaned off of it and I could survive.
Over the years, both my anxiety and depression continued to rise until I was put back on the medication and when that didn’t work I was tried on a lot of other antidepressants.

Two months before my 16th birthday, after 6 months of pills, all my hair fell out. I’m lucky that didn’t break me more than it did, because that was really shocking to me and the people around me. All of a sudden, the paranoia that everyone was looking at me came true. And that was really rough. But I survived.

I feel like my story can be summed up as “ fake it till you make it.” But the thing is… I’ve never made it. The more I fake being ok, the more thoughts come to me that maybe i am faking being sick? Maybe I’m just lazy, maybe I am just looking for attention?

But I am surviving. I think that’s all I can say for now. I’m not better, but I’m still fighting.

How did you overcome this experience?

I’m still trying medication and going to my therapist and listening to my body. Honestly, that is about all I can do. I’m not God. I’m not going to be perfect, but I will be ok.

Help others by sharing a brief, positive message.

Even though I haven’t made it to a good place with my mental health, and maybe I never will, one thing I always know to be true is this – I will be ok. And so will you.

You’ll be ok! And ok is enough. Stay surviving!