One year ago I made the decision to stop something that had been destroying my life for quite some time. It wasn't an easy task, nor was it something most people will understand. It was full of hardship, struggles and a lot of crying. But today, one year later, I can happily and proudly say I am officially a year self-harm free. In honor of this accomplishment, I want to talk about some of the ways I got this far and what anyone who struggles with similar issues can do to meet their own goals.
Self-care days
Dealing with depression and anxiety as an active student means there are few opportunities when I have time to think about myself. If I'm not in class or doing homework, I'm usually doing something with either Greek group I'm in or with my Jesus group friends. The few moments when I'm not busy are usually spent grocery shopping or planning out my week. In the past year, I started to realize I have to spend more time caring for myself because, the truth is, I am the only person who is guaranteed to be a part of my life from day one to the end. Caring for yourself is so important in working towards recovery from anything, so take this time to realize that you deserve it. Self-care can be anything from a bubble bath to screaming into a pillow. All that matters is that you're taking time to safely care for yourself.
Opening up
When dealing with anything, especially mental illness, it can be a struggle to open up, mostly due to the stigma surrounding these issues. It's important to talk about though because bottling this up will eat you alive. Some people find it easier to open to friends or family while others would rather talk to a professional. Whatever you choose to do, don't be afraid, to be honest about what's going on in your head. Everyone just wants to help you get better, one step at a time.
Embrace your friends
In my last article, I talked about how my friends help me work through my anxiety. Beyond this, they've supported me in every step of my journey and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. It's hard to admit that I'm not okay a lot of the time. I always try to be stronger than I am, but it's just not possible. Having such great people behind me has made every step that much more accessible. I promise, when your friends say they care, they really mean it. They don't have any other motivation for being nice to you besides caring about your well being. Let them love you when you can't do it yourself.
Realize that you're worth recovery
If you take anything from this article, let this be it: you really do deserve to be okay. Everything that's keeping you from being happy is going to try to convince you that you don't. I'm here to tell you that all those negative thoughts and feelings are wrong. You bring something into this world that no one else can replicate. Your smile, your laugh, your intelligence, all this and more barely scratches the surface of your existence. You deserve the happiness you find, I promise. I believe in you, your friends and family believe in you, you're going to be okay. Just take baby steps and soon enough you'll have traveled the road to recovery.
