Facing my mental health illness is the most challenging thing that I have done in my life.

It is not extremely visible as an illness. The challenges faced are terrifying as you cannot escape the illness and terror of irrationality/depression/thoughts of self-harm/suicide, of your own mind.

It is hard as you may feel isolated struggling alone in which you feel that no one understands the difficulty that you are facing in your own head at every minute, second with no relief.

It may feel hopeless at times like there is no purpose, no relief, no end, that it is not worth it, that everything is too messed up. In the darkness, as a person who has struggled with self-harm and suicidal attempts on 11 instances, I have felt this.

As difficult as it is and as alone as you feel, for those suffering from mental illness, realize that you are NOT alone. There are people who care for you, people who you matter too. There are healthcare professionals that are there to support you and keep you safe to help you get better.

You are not alone in your fight towards achieving mental wellness. When faced with the choice, realize there are many reasons to choose life and that even at the last moment you can have that ambivalent thought and make that important choice to live.

Life is worth living, you matter to people and the world. People are here to help you recover and manage your mental illness. There is hope if you are struggling with mental illness; may seeing this art and reading this blog help you realize that you are not alone. Despite suffering from mental illness, your life is worth it. Stay safe and best of luck in recovery.