I am constantly extremely anxious, periodically very depressed, and have been extremely suicidal but now I am rarely that severe. I have dealt with self-harm since an extremely young age, but have only been cutting for the past 3 years. I have a lot of extreme insecurities and hatred towards myself. I am queer but am still figuring myself out in that respect. I have issues with eating. I’ve been clean since earlier this year but have been wanting to relapse very badly, and many, many more things.
Consider this:
- Anxiety and depression can be extremely overwhelming and, at times, seem to be unbearable which could lead to further damaging reactions such as self-harm and suicidal thoughts. You are very bright and intuitive for recognizing the feeling of a possible relapse and seeking help to stop that from happening.
- We can sometimes be our own worst critic. Try to show attention on some of the qualities that you like about yourself. It may be beneficial to create achievable goals to help increase positive self-worth.
- Attempt to make more time for the things that you love doing. Music, art, exercising, being outdoors, etc. could be great ways to increase your confidence and help make a positive self-image. Volunteering for communities in need may be another great way to create a constructive and positive environment.
- It’s okay to be confused and question to your sexual orientation or preferences. Talking to a counselor, trusted friend or family member may to great way to have a deeper conversation about the topic. You could try to research support groups for the LBGTQ community.
- There are a bunch of great resources and hotlines under the HELP tab of the TeenCentral website that you can utilize 24/7 if things are getting severe again and you need someone to talk to immediately.
Help yourself:
- What are some positive qualities about yourself?
- What are some ways you could get involved in the community or some activities that your love doing?
- What are a few events that have triggered the feeling of anxiety or insecurities? Is there a way to reduce these occurrences?
- Who are some of the people you could talk to about your insecurities?
