Okay world, I'm not sure if this story is ready to be told but here it is.

You are NOT your mental illness.

You don't need to hide from it or be ashamed of it.

It is something that made you who you are, who you fought to be. That makes you a warrior with war wounds. A survivor who now has a story to tell.

So why shouldn't you tell it? Are you afraid of what your family will think? Your friends? Your teachers and classmates? Are you afraid that this will be the deciding factor in what people think of you?

It shouldn't be. That is the problem with the world today, we look at something broken and decide that it is not worth saving. What does that say to the people who struggle with this every day? Who struggle with these dark thoughts that could consume them.

If you talk about having a mental illness you're labeled and if you don't talk about it, then the truth comes out you're a liar. There is no win-win situation here. All there is hurt and pain and it can get overwhelming at points. It can be to the point where that person wants to take their own life because in their eyes there is nothing left on Earth for them.

That isn't true. Life is worth living.

Mark Twain wrote,"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why."

You can't possibly find out why you were born if you aren't alive to see it. The endless amount of moments, memories, and life that you miss will make it not worth it. The family and friends that you will leave behind, wondering what led you to make this decision. When you truly think about what it will be like after it happens, it's no longer worth it.

This video is 7 minutes and 51 seconds long. This is 7 minutes and 51 seconds telling you why you will regret ending your life. Why you will regret letting your depression, anxiety, or any other mental illness that you have to take over your brain and tell you that this was the best decision you could make.

That voice in your mind, that voice is a lie. That voice is hate, fear and uncertainty getting the best of you. Don't let it.

Be the survivor that lives to tell their story to influence others, be the person who overcomes horrible thoughts to come out better and happier.

Look back in 10 years and realize that you went through hell, you hurt yourself and you almost did worse but you didn't. You didn't let that fear overtake you and now you use your knowledge and experience to help others so that they don't make the choice you almost did.

It is hard living in today's world, don't make it harder by giving into the societal thoughts, or the hatred you have towards yourself. Find a way to love yourself and then share it with the world.

I'm living with and overcoming my mental illness, so I know that you can too.