Moving Forward.

I'm not really sure if people read my blog posts, but here's another. I like to think that this is like a live journal minus all the private, personal things. We can all agree that 2020 has been a shitty year to live through, but not all of 2020 sucked. It was full of lessons and I can say I've survived, mentally and emotionally. And I'm here to talk about them.

Even before the US reported its first Covid-19 case, the year definitely started off crappy. If you read my blog post from the beginning of this year, I've gotten my heartbroken, which didn't make sense to me because it was short-lived. I found myself very depressed and I didn't understand why the guy I dated did what he did. I ended up just losing myself and being so hung up on someone who completely played me (who by the way liked me first). In my time of needing someone by my side, I was let down by people who I thought were supposed to be there for me. Turns out, all they did was disappoint me. This year showed me their true colors. Everyone heals differently and everyone heals in different paces. These people, unfortunately, didn't understand that. Yes, they did cared at one point but they added onto my mental and emotional struggles. They were giving me unsolicited advice and were somewhat judgmental with everything I did. They were slightly manipulative in how they wanted me to feel by bring up flaws and trauma. The only thing humans have control of is their own emotions and thoughts. Humans cannot control another being's feelings unless they were to use manipulation. As you may know, I am very open about my mental disorders but trying to explain that my mental disorders make it difficult to get through some situations was getting repetitive and tiring. It was hard to get through their thick skulls. Anxiety disorder shouldn't be looked at as only being stressed and thought to be as an ordinary common thing. Being told "everyone has anxiety" is a stigma that should be broken. Yes, everyone gets anxiety, but not everyone has anxiety disorder. Depression, anxiety's partner in crime, shouldn't be looked at as just being sad. My depression is like being at war with myself and feeling hopeless and like I have no purpose in life. I was told by one of these people that I will never be happy, and that was one of the most ignorant things a person can say to someone struggling everyday in their life trying to fulfill that emptiness in their soul. I've also been told this year "go to talk to a therapist" in the most condescending way, which made me feel angry and hurt because I started  to believe that there was something wrong with me and no one wanted to listen, but that was what my anxiety told me. Nothing is wrong with me at all. I've realized that these people who I used to trust gave up on me. I needed someone to just talk to and validate how I'm feeling. Communication is always key, but communication was the issue. We often disguise out thoughts as our feelings, which is a common flaw in everyone. An example would be that someone can say that the feel like they can't reach out to you or talk to you because they feel like they will add onto your issues. Are those really feelings or just thoughts? If you are thinking that they are thoughts, you are correct. That is not your emotions telling you that, but rather it is your thoughts. With these broken/toxic friendships, I began to feel hopeless that I did seek professional help. Now, these people may think I got professional help because they "suggested" me to go, but little do they know, they were the issue. It was their unkind words and lack of communication skills that drove me mad up to the point where I did hit rock bottom. Losing these friendships was definitely hurtful because I don't ever lose friends. I can say that it was a blessing though. By losing them, I was able to properly heal, find my confidence, and be able to feel happy with myself. I haven't felt this happy with myself in years. What is actually sad is that these people won't see this. But in the end, I'm only here to prove to myself that I'm stronger than what my intrusive thoughts tell me. I made a lot of personal accomplishments this year without them and I can continue making accomplishments.

I'm Ready.

So let's reflect back to 2016 when I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I went to counseling offered at my college and it helped, but it wasn't enough for me. I felt like I was having a hard time coping with things and as much as I opened up to a professional, it felt like I couldn't be helped. I felt that I needed something more, and that was taking medication. And as a lot of people may know, I'm a huge supporter of mental health awareness just because not a lot of people understand it. Not a lot of people know that I take medication as a method to help me. It's definitely something I try to avoid talking about because of the stigma that something is actually really wrong with you if you take prescription medication. Growing up in a household where mental health illnesses are fictional concepts, it was hard to get my parents to accept me needing the medication. I'm constantly told "everyone goes through it and you'll get by it," but I wasn't going through the same things as people who produce enough serotonin in their brains. I felt that I didn't belong, that I was alone every damn day and I felt like no one understood that. Every problem that I encounter would run through my head for what feels like forever, and it was exhausting. I would have sleeping problems because of it. I would lash out at my parents for small things. I wouldn't eat properly. I couldn't remember things as quickly as I used to. I was a mess inside my head. 

When I started to take medication and felt it working, it was such a great feeling. I was finally feeling normal. And once when I thought I was in a good place, I thought I could get off the medication. I thought wrong. My psychiatrist lowered my dosage, but I relapsed and I had to go back to the higher dosage. For a while, as in the 4 years I've been taking it, I just kept the same dosage prescribed to me. Then one day, towards the end of last year, I felt that I was really in a good spot to lower the dosage and be off soon because I was really doing well mentally during good and bad days. However, that didn't go as planned. I was able to get a lower dosage, but wasn't ready to be off of it. Once the new year came, everything went downhill for me. I got my heart broken and was depressed for the longest time. Then I was fighting an uphill battle between people who weren't supporting me. I've hit rock bottom at that point, but I was able to find things to distract me from all of it. I even went back to talking to a counselor. I became strong enough to move on. I've let go of the things that were hurting me and I am finding techniques that work for me. I also have people in my life who are truly there for me, and I'm thankful every single day for them. Before my last session with my psychiatrist, I knew that I was ready to get off the medication. I am now taking back control of my own life. In my recent session, I was given the okay to finally stop the medication, but slowly of course. I'm ready to continue this journey for a better me. So to the people who have destroyed me, mentally and emotionally: screw you. You are done.

To You

It has been almost two years since I've last wrote here, but something brought me back. Feeling used is not a pleasant thing, especially when you start to fall for someone. And that's what happened to me. This is the closure I will never get. This is my letter to you.

I was led on to think I was that special person, the only one, the right one. I put my energy to making things work after you told me that it will. Most guys will contribute to my trust issues. I was made to believe that you were different. You are not. You are, in fact, worse. I know what we had didn't go as far, but you made me believe that it would. Since the first night I met you, I had my guard up. I didn't want to become attached, and that is why I did not open up to you. I needed to know that I can trust you. We were still new and I didn't want to scare you away if I were to open up about everything. I didn't want you to leave. I enjoyed our moments. I loved our intimate moments. I just don't understand what went wrong. I just don't know how you moved on so quickly. I clearly can't. My heart kept sinking every time you posted something with the person you left me for. I wondered why you kept me around though. Why didn't you let me go? Why did you let me constantly reach out to you? Why couldn't you communicate with me? You obviously made your choice. I just want to know what made you leave. We were supposed to go on another date, do you remember that? That's where it all began, when you began avoiding me. I woke up that morning feeling extremely happy. I put on makeup, a nice outfit, and made sure I got out of work early. All that time was wasted. You were the first guy I ever deeply made eye contact with. You didn't get a chance to know that eye contact is something that makes me uncomfortable, but you made me feel comfortable. You made realty go away. I just want you to know that I'm not in love with you, but I loved what we shared. A part of me is thankful that what we had went as far as it could, because I would've fallen in love and you would still hurt me along the way. I can tell you that I do feel damaged, way more damaged than the other times a guy hurts me. Did you know that you were going to hurt me? Did you actually care for me? Obviously not enough, right? You would constantly try to pick my brain, wanting to know what I'm thinking about. Was that all an act to show that you cared? I'm still confused. I'm confused on how you made all these future plans with me. I'm confused on how you would ask me to stay the night. What was all of that? I wish you would tell me. I just wish I can get an answer. All I know is that, you are not right for me. You are an example of what I don't need and what I don't want. I need to let you go. I will let you go.