The "It Gets Better" Thread

[Kaisada]

I spend a lot of time on this forum, connecting with other people's suffering yet feeling completely powerless to say anything that would make a substantial impact; anything that hadn't already been heard by the person too many times to still be of much effect. Sometimes, instead of saying the usual, I often wish I could tell my own story to the other person; after all, the only things I can offer is my personal experience - but then I would feel inappropriate talking about me in a thread about the other person. If the only way to get different results is to do something different, then I wish for an opportunity for people to at least hear something different; and it is my belief that in our personal accounts of transformational change, roads to healing are more varied and diverse than any of us can imagine. The most powerful antidote to despair, I think, is creativity, and I hope that a thread like this can inspire some in those who feel that they have tried *absolutely everything* and still getting nowhere.

So, here, I would like to invite anyone who considers themselves as someone who has experienced substantial transformation on the path to healing/recovery/change, to share your personal accounts of that process. I know we have a forum for this, and I really wish it was more active, that there was more encouragement for people to make it more active - but I think there is benefit to having a thread like this in *this* forum.

Thanks everyone for your time

[Excelsior]

Hey there,

I don't really have anything to share, but I wanted to let you know that I think this is a wonderful idea and I really hope people take the opportunity to share their stories with us. Thanks for putting forward this idea.

[EmergencyHugMaster]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEE! I loooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeee the it gets better thread. One of the biggest transformations I have had was me after I got counselling for losing my friend.

I could have fainted, I could have DIED (no kidding) because of stress from having her not talking to me, not being able to be near me and not knowing why.

It was killing me. For eight months and I had reached breaking point. I swear I could have punched everyone in my day, I was sooooooooooooooooooooo angry at the situation.

My colleague Courtney couldn't help me, performing in front of the school and getting sooooooooooooooooooooo much respect for it, that couldn't help me. SUMMER! That couldn't help me!

I was depressed whenever I saw her and it had been eight months.

I have no idea what possessed me to go and see the counsellor at our school, but I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad it did. I asked my Careers Adviser about the concept and he showed me to the councellor's office.

We talked a little about what councelling was and how I would make an appointment if I wanted to and I left. Went to MacDonalds, came back and put my name down. Five appointments later, it is done, it is over, Stefanie was a non issue.

Councelling is hard, I am not going to lie. It is not something that is for the faint-hearted and it does generate a lot of emotional energy when you talk about your issue. But when it does get better and it will, you will not regret having to face that pain and toughness of having to talk about it.

It gets better. It got better for me and councelling helped me get better. Believe me, from experience:

IT

GETS

BETTER.

H.

[gymnastxxLeah]

I love this idea! okay Here i go:

for 6 months i had comtemplated suicide every day.
every thought was negative and destructive
I hated myself

I cut myself
i purged
i binged
i starved
i obsessed
i was exhausted
i was sick and tired of being sick and tired
one day, i was babysitting for a little girl who lives near me.
I was making her a PB&J for lunch.
she asked if i was having any
i said no.
she asked why.
and what could i say?
this sweet little 6 year old girl...
i could tell her
that it would make me fat
that it woukd make me hate myself
that i was too strong for it
i couldn't tell her the truth
and i realized
it wasn't the truth.
I was sick.
and eventually she decided
that i did need to eat.
she pushed
and she pressured.
and i couldn't eat it.
but i did realize i was sick.

and here i am, a few months later... And im in recovery. and although every day is an uphill battle. But i'm eating. I'm healthy. I'm doing a lot better.

and sometimes...
I'm happy.

it
gets
so
much
better !!

a new day
a new beginning
a new friend
its just around the corner.

[Wildflower2009]

This may turn into a novel but here goes nothin'!!!

My problems started in middle school. I went to a preppy private school and I was the poor kid. My clothes came from the dollar store, while all the other girls wore designer labels. And they never let me forget it! I was teased everyday. I became depressed and started cutting. And it was also the beginning of my social anxiety disorder. But I switched schools and went back to my local, low rent public school. I fit in again and found friends who also had problems with SH. The next summer I went to camp and one of the counselors changed my life. She use to SH and she helped me throw away my blades and start a journal. I quit cutting! Things were getting better until I met my first bf. We dated for 2 years until I lost my first pregnancy. Then he left me because I was depressed. A few months later we got back together and dated for 2 more years just so he could leave me again. I really thought I would never love again, but after a few more failed relationships and a few more battles with depression... I think I have found the man for me. We have a 2 year old son, a house, a family! Its everything I have always wanted a hoped for. I graduated from medical assisting school last year and now Im in college again! I have all but totally beat SH, depression, and social anxiety! I never let the bad things in my life keep me from moving forward and hoping for a better future!

NEVER GIVE UP!!!
I GETS BETTER!!!