mentalhealth Need some help

[Luie]

2 hours ago, -Penny said:

Hey @Monsoon, sorry to start up this thread again but I just needed someone to talk to. My feelings about my body have been getting a lot better, but I think my overall mental health is getting worse again. I’ve been feeling really sad in school, and I want to tell teachers and friends but I don’t think it would help. I’m getting urges again, although they’re not as strong as they have been before. I’m not even sure why it’s getting worse because everything is great in school and there aren’t any arguments. 
 

Another thing is my friend likes this boy, but apparently he likes me. I feel like this is just creating tension in our friendship and things will be worse in school again. I think she’s annoyed, because she hasn’t talked to me since she found out. 
 

Luckily I have 2 weeks off now so maybe it’ll be better when I come back.

Heyy @-Penny, I am Luie, one of the support mentors with Ditch the Label. Monsoon is currently on leave, so I was wondering if you're comfortable with me responding to you or would you like to wait for when they are  back? 

[-Penny]

On 3/31/2023 at 6:08 PM, Luie said:

Heyy @-Penny, I am Luie, one of the support mentors with Ditch the Label. Monsoon is currently on leave, so I was wondering if you're comfortable with me responding to you or would you like to wait for when they are  back? 

Yeah that’s fine I don’t mind, I just need to talk about it

[Luie]

On 4/1/2023 at 11:39 PM, -Penny said:

Yeah that’s fine I don’t mind, I just need to talk about it

Thanks for letting me know. 

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a tough time with your mental health. It's great that you've noticed an improvement in your feelings towards your body, but it's important to also take care of your overall mental well-being. It's understandable that you feel hesitant to talk to teachers and friends about your struggles, but it's important to remember that there is no shame in seeking help from them if you decide to . It can be beneficial to have a support system in place and to talk to someone you trust about what you're going through (we are here ofcourse, but I am referring to an in person support). 

It's also concerning that you're experiencing urges again. If you feel like you may harm yourself, please seek immediate help from a crisis hotline or emergency services. Here are a few resources: 

• (UK) The Samaritans - 116 123 (This is a free service that operates 24/7)
• (USA) Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - 988  (This is a free service that operates 24/7. You can call or text) 
• A list of worldwide crisis lines can be found here: https://www.befrienders.org   
• There's an app I can recommend called Stay Alive - it has safety plans to make sure you don’t harm yourself and you might find it helpful
• You can also call the police if you feel at risk
   

Regarding the situation with your friend and the boy, it's important to communicate with your friend openly and honestly. It's understandable that this may cause tension, but it's important to address the issue and talk through your feelings together. Perhaps you can come up with a solution that works for both of you and preserves your friendship, does this sound like something you'd like to try? I am here if you want to maybe practice what you'd like to say just in case you're unsure. 

Taking a break from school may also give you the space and time to reflect on your emotions and come up with a plan to address them when you return. How's the break been so far for you?

 

[-Penny]

On 4/5/2023 at 4:32 PM, Luie said:

Thanks for letting me know. 

I'm sorry to hear that you're going through a tough time with your mental health. It's great that you've noticed an improvement in your feelings towards your body, but it's important to also take care of your overall mental well-being. It's understandable that you feel hesitant to talk to teachers and friends about your struggles, but it's important to remember that there is no shame in seeking help from them if you decide to . It can be beneficial to have a support system in place and to talk to someone you trust about what you're going through (we are here ofcourse, but I am referring to an in person support). 

It's also concerning that you're experiencing urges again. If you feel like you may harm yourself, please seek immediate help from a crisis hotline or emergency services. Here are a few resources: 

• (UK) The Samaritans - 116 123 (This is a free service that operates 24/7)
• (USA) Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - 988  (This is a free service that operates 24/7. You can call or text) 
• A list of worldwide crisis lines can be found here: https://www.befrienders.org   
• There's an app I can recommend called Stay Alive - it has safety plans to make sure you don’t harm yourself and you might find it helpful
• You can also call the police if you feel at risk
   

Regarding the situation with your friend and the boy, it's important to communicate with your friend openly and honestly. It's understandable that this may cause tension, but it's important to address the issue and talk through your feelings together. Perhaps you can come up with a solution that works for both of you and preserves your friendship, does this sound like something you'd like to try? I am here if you want to maybe practice what you'd like to say just in case you're unsure. 

Taking a break from school may also give you the space and time to reflect on your emotions and come up with a plan to address them when you return. How's the break been so far for you?

Hey @Luie, sorry I haven’t replied sooner. My break has been good so far, I’ve been feeling happier out of school. I don’t think I’d be able to talk to my friend about the situation with the boy because she and a few others are some of my best friends in class. I know that if I were to talk to her about it and it went wrong it would give me a lot of stress in class which I have been avoiding. Another thing, I am always the one she comes to when she needs to vent or talk about anything that’s troubling her, and none of our other friends know that she likes this boy. If I were to tell my friend about it then she wouldn’t be able to talk it through with anyone else unless she told someone else about him. 
I think I’ve decided to just see what happens, that’s what I usually do. 
 

I did relapse once since I last posted, but it’s nothing serious. I just needed to let my feelings out and that’s the only way that really helps. The good thing is I have felt a lot better after this and I haven’t had any major urges since. Thanks for the hotline numbers, I’ll use them if I really feel bad but the only problem is I can’t really speak over phone since my parents are home most of the time and don’t know anything about this. I don’t think I want to tell them any time soon because I have a feeling it won’t be taken seriously or they will say something that’ll hurt me worse. 
 

I have one friend that I know I can talk to about these things, and she already knows about the boy situation, but I don’t want to burden her with all of this because I know how stressful it can be trying to comfort someone or help them with what they’re going through. She’s got her own problems and I don’t want her to feel inclined to keep checking in on me.

[Aurora]

17 hours ago, -Penny said:

Hey @Luie, sorry I haven’t replied sooner. My break has been good so far, I’ve been feeling happier out of school. I don’t think I’d be able to talk to my friend about the situation with the boy because she and a few others are some of my best friends in class. I know that if I were to talk to her about it and it went wrong it would give me a lot of stress in class which I have been avoiding. Another thing, I am always the one she comes to when she needs to vent or talk about anything that’s troubling her, and none of our other friends know that she likes this boy. If I were to tell my friend about it then she wouldn’t be able to talk it through with anyone else unless she told someone else about him. 
I think I’ve decided to just see what happens, that’s what I usually do. 
 

I did relapse once since I last posted, but it’s nothing serious. I just needed to let my feelings out and that’s the only way that really helps. The good thing is I have felt a lot better after this and I haven’t had any major urges since. Thanks for the hotline numbers, I’ll use them if I really feel bad but the only problem is I can’t really speak over phone since my parents are home most of the time and don’t know anything about this. I don’t think I want to tell them any time soon because I have a feeling it won’t be taken seriously or they will say something that’ll hurt me worse. 
 

I have one friend that I know I can talk to about these things, and she already knows about the boy situation, but I don’t want to burden her with all of this because I know how stressful it can be trying to comfort someone or help them with what they’re going through. She’s got her own problems and I don’t want her to feel inclined to keep checking in on me.

Hi there, I'm Aurora and I am one of the other support mentors here. I know @Luie is already supporting you and I think they will be back online later today. In the meantime I just wanted to jump in, because I saw that you said that you would find it difficult to use the hotline numbers when your parents are at home. I just wanted to let you know that if you’re in the UK, you can text SHOUT to 85258 when you are struggling, and a trained crisis volunteer will text you back. This might help, if you can't speak on the phone and it’s completely free 24/7. Please know that you're not alone! 

 

 

[-Penny]

7 hours ago, Aurora said:

Hi there, I'm Aurora and I am one of the other support mentors here. I know @Luie is already supporting you and I think they will be back online later today. In the meantime I just wanted to jump in, because I saw that you said that you would find it difficult to use the hotline numbers when your parents are at home. I just wanted to let you know that if you’re in the UK, you can text SHOUT to 85258 when you are struggling, and a trained crisis volunteer will text you back. This might help, if you can't speak on the phone and it’s completely free 24/7. Please know that you're not alone! 

Thanks @Aurora, it helps a lot. I’ve been struggling a lot more today than I thought I would, so I might use it later.

[Luie]

On 4/6/2023 at 10:35 PM, -Penny said:

Hey @Luie, sorry I haven’t replied sooner. My break has been good so far, I’ve been feeling happier out of school. I don’t think I’d be able to talk to my friend about the situation with the boy because she and a few others are some of my best friends in class. I know that if I were to talk to her about it and it went wrong it would give me a lot of stress in class which I have been avoiding. Another thing, I am always the one she comes to when she needs to vent or talk about anything that’s troubling her, and none of our other friends know that she likes this boy. If I were to tell my friend about it then she wouldn’t be able to talk it through with anyone else unless she told someone else about him. 
I think I’ve decided to just see what happens, that’s what I usually do. 
 

I did relapse once since I last posted, but it’s nothing serious. I just needed to let my feelings out and that’s the only way that really helps. The good thing is I have felt a lot better after this and I haven’t had any major urges since. Thanks for the hotline numbers, I’ll use them if I really feel bad but the only problem is I can’t really speak over phone since my parents are home most of the time and don’t know anything about this. I don’t think I want to tell them any time soon because I have a feeling it won’t be taken seriously or they will say something that’ll hurt me worse. 
 

I have one friend that I know I can talk to about these things, and she already knows about the boy situation, but I don’t want to burden her with all of this because I know how stressful it can be trying to comfort someone or help them with what they’re going through. She’s got her own problems and I don’t want her to feel inclined to keep checking in on me.

Heyy @-Penny, How are you feeling today?

It's understandable that you feel hesitant to talk to your friend about the situation with the boy, especially if it could potentially cause stress or tension in your friend group. It's good that you're thinking about how your actions could impact your relationships with others. As for your relapse, it's important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of recovery. Don't be too hard on yourself, and continue to prioritize your mental health and self-care. It's great that you've been feeling better since then and haven't had any major urges. Is there anything extra you need that you think we can do to help with your safety/recovery plan?

Regarding your friend, it's okay to confide in her about what you're going through, but make sure you're not putting too much pressure on her or relying solely on her for support. It's important to have multiple people you can talk to and lean on when you're going through a tough time, here for you, so feel free to share what you're comfortable with me. Does this sound supportive to you?

If speaking over the phone isn't an option for you, there are other resources you can use to get support, such as online chat services or text lines. It's important to have a support system and to feel comfortable reaching out for help when you need it. I am glad that @Aurora sent you the details of SHOUT. Were you able to access it safely yesterday?

 

[-Penny]

On 4/8/2023 at 9:31 AM, Luie said:

Heyy @-Penny, How are you feeling today?

It's understandable that you feel hesitant to talk to your friend about the situation with the boy, especially if it could potentially cause stress or tension in your friend group. It's good that you're thinking about how your actions could impact your relationships with others. As for your relapse, it's important to remember that setbacks are a normal part of recovery. Don't be too hard on yourself, and continue to prioritize your mental health and self-care. It's great that you've been feeling better since then and haven't had any major urges. Is there anything extra you need that you think we can do to help with your safety/recovery plan?

Regarding your friend, it's okay to confide in her about what you're going through, but make sure you're not putting too much pressure on her or relying solely on her for support. It's important to have multiple people you can talk to and lean on when you're going through a tough time, here for you, so feel free to share what you're comfortable with me. Does this sound supportive to you?

If speaking over the phone isn't an option for you, there are other resources you can use to get support, such as online chat services or text lines. It's important to have a support system and to feel comfortable reaching out for help when you need it. I am glad that @Aurora sent you the details of SHOUT. Were you able to access it safely yesterday?

Hello, sorry for the late reply again, I’ve been really tired. I felt okay today, and I have been distracted so I didn’t really get to think about my feelings at all. 

For me I don’t really have a recovery plan or anything for my relapses as they don’t feel dangerous and they give me relief. (It sounds so wrong saying that but it’s true). 
I’m seeing some other trusted friends tomorrow so I think I’m going to tell them about what’s been going on for some extra support but I won’t say all of it because I know it feels like a lot when someone just drops it all on you.

I ended up not accessing SHOUT as I fell asleep soon after posting. It was only 10:30 but I’ve been super tired lately and I’m not sure why. 
 

I started hair-pulling again, something I haven’t mentioned before but it has been a problem in the past before I joined Ditch The Label. 
When I was 11 I started pulling my eyelashes out from stress, mostly because of my end of school exams in primary. By the end of year six I had no eyelashes whatsoever but I have not pulled much hair since. It has only started again recently but I have been pulling arm hair and eyebrows more than eyelashes.

 

Sorry if it sounds confusing- it’s late but I wanted to write the post before I forget.

 

[Luie]

On 4/11/2023 at 1:09 AM, -Penny said:

Hello, sorry for the late reply again, I’ve been really tired. I felt okay today, and I have been distracted so I didn’t really get to think about my feelings at all. 

For me I don’t really have a recovery plan or anything for my relapses as they don’t feel dangerous and they give me relief. (It sounds so wrong saying that but it’s true). 
I’m seeing some other trusted friends tomorrow so I think I’m going to tell them about what’s been going on for some extra support but I won’t say all of it because I know it feels like a lot when someone just drops it all on you.

I ended up not accessing SHOUT as I fell asleep soon after posting. It was only 10:30 but I’ve been super tired lately and I’m not sure why. 
 

I started hair-pulling again, something I haven’t mentioned before but it has been a problem in the past before I joined Ditch The Label. 
When I was 11 I started pulling my eyelashes out from stress, mostly because of my end of school exams in primary. By the end of year six I had no eyelashes whatsoever but I have not pulled much hair since. It has only started again recently but I have been pulling arm hair and eyebrows more than eyelashes.

Sorry if it sounds confusing- it’s late but I wanted to write the post before I forget.

Heyy @-Penny, 

 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me. It's good to hear that you had a distraction-free day and felt okay. It's also great that you are planning to reach out to trusted friends for support. Remember that you don't have to share everything at once, and you can take things at your own pace, you can use this space with me to frame how you'd like to talk to your friends if that's something helpful. I totally see why you are feeling tired too. It's essential to prioritize self-care and get enough rest, especially if you have been struggling with your mental health. I understand that your relapses don't feel dangerous and provide relief, but it's still important to have a recovery plan in place to help you cope with the underlying issues that are leading to the relapses. Would you like to discuss this a bit more and perhaps work on creating a safety plan? 

As for your hair-pulling, it's good that you are aware of this behaviour and that you have previously addressed it in the past and also it's common for people to engage in repetitive behaviours as a way of coping with stress and anxiety. However, If you find that this behaviour is becoming more frequent or difficult to manage, it may be helpful to seek support from a mental health professional who can help you develop strategies to cope with the urge to pull hair. Would reaching out to a mental health professional be a possibility at school or around your area?

Remember that you are not alone, and there are people who care and want to help you. Please reach out to me or other resources mentioned in the earlier messages, I am sorry that you're going through a lot right now.

 

 

[-Penny]

On 4/13/2023 at 4:56 PM, Luie said:

Heyy @-Penny, 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with me. It's good to hear that you had a distraction-free day and felt okay. It's also great that you are planning to reach out to trusted friends for support. Remember that you don't have to share everything at once, and you can take things at your own pace, you can use this space with me to frame how you'd like to talk to your friends if that's something helpful. I totally see why you are feeling tired too. It's essential to prioritize self-care and get enough rest, especially if you have been struggling with your mental health. I understand that your relapses don't feel dangerous and provide relief, but it's still important to have a recovery plan in place to help you cope with the underlying issues that are leading to the relapses. Would you like to discuss this a bit more and perhaps work on creating a safety plan? 

As for your hair-pulling, it's good that you are aware of this behaviour and that you have previously addressed it in the past and also it's common for people to engage in repetitive behaviours as a way of coping with stress and anxiety. However, If you find that this behaviour is becoming more frequent or difficult to manage, it may be helpful to seek support from a mental health professional who can help you develop strategies to cope with the urge to pull hair. Would reaching out to a mental health professional be a possibility at school or around your area?

Remember that you are not alone, and there are people who care and want to help you. Please reach out to me or other resources mentioned in the earlier messages, I am sorry that you're going through a lot right now.

Hey sorry I didn’t reply, I haven’t been able to get on at all. I’m back to school now, and it’s been okay. I felt anxious going back but nothing too bad, I expected to feel worse to be honest. I haven’t reached out to anyone yet since I’m not quite sure how to go about starting the conversation. 

 

I think it would be good to discuss a recovery/safety plan a bit, I actually have no idea of any underlying issues or causes of the relapses though, I have no problems at home besides small arguments between me and my parents, and no bullying or toxicity from classmates. I’ve always just used it as a way to cope with my feelings - good or bad.

 

The hair pulling is never an actual problem for me, it’s always been there I just noticed myself doing it more lately. It’s calmed down again now though, so maybe it just happens every so often. I don’t really have anyone to reach out to apart from on here about any of this, since my parents don’t know and I don’t think telling my school would do much. Seeing a mental health professional is something I would like to do, but obviously I can’t do that without telling my parents about what’s going on. 
 

Thanks for your ongoing support, it really helps me to know that I can at least talk to one person about it even though it’s online.

[Monsoon]

Hey there,

Thank you for getting back to us. I can see what you said about how you don't know how to go about starting the conversation with others, but you have done it pretty well here; what do you think? Is there anything you could take from these conversations to maybe help you start it elsewhere, perhaps? Also, with a safety plan, we can for sure help you with that here. I'm wondering, if you did tell your parents, how do you think it would go? 

[-Penny]

On 4/19/2023 at 11:59 PM, Monsoon said:

Hey there,

Thank you for getting back to us. I can see what you said about how you don't know how to go about starting the conversation with others, but you have done it pretty well here; what do you think? Is there anything you could take from these conversations to maybe help you start it elsewhere, perhaps? Also, with a safety plan, we can for sure help you with that here. I'm wondering, if you did tell your parents, how do you think it would go? 

Hey @Monsoon, yeah I think I could maybe talk to my friends and use what I have already written here to make it easier, or maybe send them a screenshot of what I have said here?? I’m really awkward around these kind of things and I never know what to say.

I don’t think I could tell my parents about what’s happening though. I don’t even know what it’s called when someone does this, but for example ever since I can remember, in my family, it’s not: ‘Love yourself and your body.’ it’s: ‘Don’t hate your body because it’s really bad for you when you’re older.’ I’m not even sure if that makes any sense but it really makes a difference to me and how much I feel I can tell anyone, because it always feels like I’m doing something so wrong and I’m going to get in so much trouble if anyone finds out. 

I’m sure it would go well with telling my parents, but I know I just can’t. I’m sure it’s not anything as serious as this, but it’s almost like a sort of selective mutism - where I physically can’t tell them. I’ve tried before but it’s like my body just won’t let me.

Really sorry if it’s a bit confusing- I find it really hard to explain.

[Monsoon]

Hey there,

Telling your friends by showing them what you’ve said here is a really good idea. You’ve already explained it really well here, and it might be easier for you to just let them read it, as I’m thinking about how you said you can experience a sort of selective mutism with your parents. Also, I’m not sure I understand what you mean about the body thing. Can you tell me more? 

[-Penny]

10 hours ago, Monsoon said:

Hey there,

Telling your friends by showing them what you’ve said here is a really good idea. You’ve already explained it really well here, and it might be easier for you to just let them read it, as I’m thinking about how you said you can experience a sort of selective mutism with your parents. Also, I’m not sure I understand what you mean about the body thing. Can you tell me more? 

yeah I’m probably going to show at least one of them in this week or maybe at the weekend.
About the body thing, I’ve grown up with the idea that ‘hating your body’ or anything like that is wrong and I will get in big trouble for telling anyone.
I always remember hearing someone in my family saying ‘You can’t dislike your body or your appearance because it’s bad for you when you’re older’ (or something very similar to that). I’m not even sure if it sounds any different from what other parents say but it really changed how much I feel that I can tell people now, especially adults. Talking to people my age or people online is much easier for me.

 

sorry if this still doesn’t make sense  - it’s really hard to explain

[Monsoon]

Hey there,

I see what you mean, thank you for telling me that. With ‘You can’t dislike your body or your appearance because it’s bad for you when you’re older’, did they mean maybe that you should avoid not liking your appearance and do stuff to improve the way you feel, rather than mean that you cannot do it and that it is wrong? Do you know what I mean?

[-Penny]

On 4/25/2023 at 9:18 PM, Monsoon said:

Hey there,

I see what you mean, thank you for telling me that. With ‘You can’t dislike your body or your appearance because it’s bad for you when you’re older’, did they mean maybe that you should avoid not liking your appearance and do stuff to improve the way you feel, rather than mean that you cannot do it and that it is wrong? Do you know what I mean?

Yeah, it just always seemed like I would get in trouble for it. 
 

Everything’s getting kind of worse now, I’ve started viewing my body in a bad way again, and even though I’m happy around my friends I get really angry or upset super easily. I know it’s normal and everyone gets it but it just adds on to everything else I’m feeling.

 

again, sorry if this doesn’t make sense I find it really hard to put into words

[Monsoon]

Hey there,

That's interesting that it seemed like you would get in trouble; I'm wondering, could it be worth trying it out to see what they say? They might surprise you and react in a way that you find positive. 

I'm sorry to hear that everything is getting kind of worse now. It sounds like things are getting on top of you, and it's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed. It's really good to be open with people about how you're feeling as well as this can mean you end up getting more support, and it's just good to let your feelings out anyway. I always say that a problem shared in a problem halved :)

I'm wondering, with things getting kind of worse now, do you think something caused these feelings? If so, what do you think it was?

[-Penny]

On 5/4/2023 at 8:08 PM, Monsoon said:

Hey there,

That's interesting that it seemed like you would get in trouble; I'm wondering, could it be worth trying it out to see what they say? They might surprise you and react in a way that you find positive. 

I'm sorry to hear that everything is getting kind of worse now. It sounds like things are getting on top of you, and it's perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed. It's really good to be open with people about how you're feeling as well as this can mean you end up getting more support, and it's just good to let your feelings out anyway. I always say that a problem shared in a problem halved :)

I'm wondering, with things getting kind of worse now, do you think something caused these feelings? If so, what do you think it was?

Hi, sorry I didn’t reply, I’ve been feeling all over the place at the moment. I’ve taken a break from everything and just had the weekend to myself, figuring out some stuff. A good thing is that I’m feeling a lot better about my body, at the moment anyway. My emotions and feelings keep changing though, as expected for a teenager I guess.

 

I don’t think I’m up for seeing what my parents might say though, maybe in a few years but I’m just not ready yet, and I can deal with it with the support of people I feel comfortable talking to, for now. 

I’m not sure what causes me to have the negative feelings, probably just because I hold them all in. It’s a bad habit, but I don’t remember a time when I didn’t just bottle everything up. I tell people even less now, I only feel comfortable telling my best friend some things, and only because I couldn’t imagine her telling anyone else about my problems. My other friend is also just as close and I trust her, but I’m not sure what’s preventing me from telling her anything. She’s this super popular girl with a lot of friends and a massive group of people is always following her around. I prefer having a small, close group of friends so maybe it’s just intimidating or something. It doesn’t ever feel like she cares for me as much as I care for her though, it’s like I’m only important when she needs something or needs someone to vent to. I’m more than happy being that friend, but it just makes me sad that I feel that I can’t trust her fully.

Anyways, thanks for the ongoing support, I really appreciate it and I think it’s definitely helping me feel better. 

Edited May 14, 2023 by -Penny

[Aurora]

13 hours ago, -Penny said:

Hi, sorry I didn’t reply, I’ve been feeling all over the place at the moment. I’ve taken a break from everything and just had the weekend to myself, figuring out some stuff. A good thing is that I’m feeling a lot better about my body, at the moment anyway. My emotions and feelings keep changing though, as expected for a teenager I guess.

I don’t think I’m up for seeing what my parents might say though, maybe in a few years but I’m just not ready yet, and I can deal with it with the support of people I feel comfortable talking to, for now. 

I’m not sure what causes me to have the negative feelings, probably just because I hold them all in. It’s a bad habit, but I don’t remember a time when I didn’t just bottle everything up. I tell people even less now, I only feel comfortable telling my best friend some things, and only because I couldn’t imagine her telling anyone else about my problems. My other friend is also just as close and I trust her, but I’m not sure what’s preventing me from telling her anything. She’s this super popular girl with a lot of friends and a massive group of people is always following her around. I prefer having a small, close group of friends so maybe it’s just intimidating or something. It doesn’t ever feel like she cares for me as much as I care for her though, it’s like I’m only important when she needs something or needs someone to vent to. I’m more than happy being that friend, but it just makes me sad that I feel that I can’t trust her fully.

Anyways, thanks for the ongoing support, I really appreciate it and I think it’s definitely helping me feel better. 

Hi there, Monsoon is away at the moment so I thought I would jump in. I hope that's OK. 

I'm really glad to hear that you're feeling a lot better about your body. That's great. Can you think of anything that has helped? 

I get the impression that you are a very reflective person and I think you' make a really good point there about holding in your negative feelings. If you don't feel comfortable talking about your feelings, can you think of any other way you could let them out and not bottle them up? 

[-Penny]

On 5/15/2023 at 12:25 PM, Aurora said:

Hi there, Monsoon is away at the moment so I thought I would jump in. I hope that's OK. 

I'm really glad to hear that you're feeling a lot better about your body. That's great. Can you think of anything that has helped? 

I get the impression that you are a very reflective person and I think you' make a really good point there about holding in your negative feelings. If you don't feel comfortable talking about your feelings, can you think of any other way you could let them out and not bottle them up? 

 

hi, sorry I haven’t replied in a while, I’ve been camping with some relatives. 
 

My feelings have changed a lot since I last posted, mostly because I told my parents a bit about my views on my body, and they took it pretty well. I’m glad I told them, they gave me some encouragement and I think it’s pushed me in the right direction. Camping helped a lot too, being away from a lot of the things that would usually make me self-conscious, like mirrors. 

I’ve started writing in a diary whenever I feel bad, too. Hopefully that will help me as well, I think it’ll be good to have somewhere to dump any bad thoughts. 
 

My confidence has grown a lot in the past few weeks, and that makes me really happy. I’ve stopped wearing a lot of makeup, only using a tiny amount now. I also went swimming twice, and wore a bikini both times. I did have to build up the confidence to wear it though, first wearing a t-shirt over it and then the second time I just wore the bikini. It felt really good and I think I’m learning to worry a little less about what people think.

So yeah everything is getting better slowly, I’m on my half-term break right now so that probably helps too, most of my bad feelings come when I’m in school. 
 

Thanks again for all the support, it’s definitely helping me a lot

 

[Aurora]

On 5/31/2023 at 11:11 PM, -Penny said:

hi, sorry I haven’t replied in a while, I’ve been camping with some relatives. 
 

My feelings have changed a lot since I last posted, mostly because I told my parents a bit about my views on my body, and they took it pretty well. I’m glad I told them, they gave me some encouragement and I think it’s pushed me in the right direction. Camping helped a lot too, being away from a lot of the things that would usually make me self-conscious, like mirrors. 

I’ve started writing in a diary whenever I feel bad, too. Hopefully that will help me as well, I think it’ll be good to have somewhere to dump any bad thoughts. 
 

My confidence has grown a lot in the past few weeks, and that makes me really happy. I’ve stopped wearing a lot of makeup, only using a tiny amount now. I also went swimming twice, and wore a bikini both times. I did have to build up the confidence to wear it though, first wearing a t-shirt over it and then the second time I just wore the bikini. It felt really good and I think I’m learning to worry a little less about what people think.

So yeah everything is getting better slowly, I’m on my half-term break right now so that probably helps too, most of my bad feelings come when I’m in school. 
 

Thanks again for all the support, it’s definitely helping me a lot

Hi there, no problem at all and I'm sorry for the late reply from me!! It's so lovely to get an update from you and I'm so glad to hear that things are getting better. It's great that you could speak to your parents about your views on your body. It sounds like you've found some really healthy ways on how to challenge the negative views you were having and this has really helped your confidence. That's wonderful  and I am really happy for you. 

I noticed that you said that most of your bad feelings come when you're in school. I'm just wondering, is there anything that you have done recently, that you think will help you feel more confident to deal with those feelings that you get at school?