(I just now posted this as a comment a sec ago and thought it would be extremely helpful to just post it on here)
I'm a recent victim of the diagnosis and stigma as well. Just last week I found out.
I see a Dialectical Behavioral Therapist for my PTSD, depression, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, you name it. My ultimately failing life was hard to put on hold to see her twice a week but now that I have herpes my entire life is so much worse I can barely bare it. But I feel surprisingly SO MUCH STRONGER. We can't let ourselves just waste away like this. WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. Big support for herpes, but even if it's just getting out of the house and away from the depression that keeps you there. I'm only 17.. Freshly turned it last month too. I have a life I deserve to live. So even if I have to take this medication that scares me when I think of the long term effects, even tho my bullying could come back if anyone finds out that doesn't like me, even tho I mighty get rejected when it comes to love,
I
Will
Press
On.
I will be Hannah. No one else. Myself.
I will control MY LIFE. Not my illness.
And YOU SHOULD TOO.
Why?
Because WE ARE NOT WHAT WE HAVE.
We are not what we do.
We are not what jokes are made.
We are not anything anyone else puts upon us.
And u know what??!?? Sometimes that person oppressing you and judging you and rejecting you ...?
Is YOU.
So PICK URSELF UP,
GET DRESSED.
Feel good looking, no matter how you do it.
And KNOW that even when you say things like "never" or "what if",
It's not true.
You can destroy you way more than anyone else will.
And the best advice I can give you from my Dialectical Behavioral Therapy so far (I'm just beginning)
Is that..
You need to catch urself.
Catch urself thinking those extreme negatives..
Be wise.
FORCE URSELF to be YOU, NOT ur WORRY.
Be open. Don't judge people before they judge you.. Cuz u know what? They might not.
KICK UR SELF IN THE BUTT AND SAY
"BE HAPPY."
"BE STRONG."
"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF."
"I
Got.
THIS."
And u know what?
You do.
And last thing?
Even tho it's barely been a couple weeks for me.... And people say it all the time..
But..
It gets better.
If you believe in urself and in ur life and strength and if you trust in God,
You will get though this.
Say it out loud.
"I will get through this."
"It's okay"
"Everything will be okay."
"I am not what I have."
"I'm lovable"
"I'm LOVED."
You will.
..I will♥