I Wanted To Quit. I Really Did. This Is Why I Didn’t.

I was about 8 or 9 years old when I first said, out loud, that I wanted to kill myself.

In retrospect, I do not think I understood the finality of death to make such a statement with any real intent, but back then I didn’t have the language to articulate anxiety, fear, and self-loathing. All I had were empty threats in the hopes that someone of influence would take pity on me. I was not pitied. In fact, I think I got in trouble for making the statement, but it’s all pretty hazy now, so I’m not exactly sure how it all played out.

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I do know that I started cutting myself (read about it HERE) when I was about 14 years-old, telling some of my school friends, but mostly keeping it to myself. As an adult, it’s hard to take myself back to my childhood to try to understand what motivated me, so forgive me if this doesn’t all add up perfectly. I can remember doing it when I was upset, and feeling that there was no one with whom I could speak to talk me off the ledge. I was too scared to do the full deed, and while the cutting itself was physically painful, while I was cutting I’d also feel a flood of relief, sort of like going to the bathroom after holding it for an hour. I also felt some shame, but mostly relief. On some level I think I wanted to be found out because I always cut myself on my forearm; my scars weren’t hard to miss.

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Eventually I made a call to some teen hotline “threatening” to kill myself, and sure enough, cops were called and I was hauled off to the emergency room for a psych evaluation. I was diagnosed with clinical depression, sent home with my parents, and eventually placed on antidepressants.

The years went on, and I pushed through, but it would be years before I came to terms with the root of it all. The truth is that I believed, with absolute certainty,  that my life held no value. I truly believed it, and would often ask myself, “what’s the point? Why am I here taking up space?” And aside from the overwhelming anxiety these thoughts would create, I suffered through a series of dysfunctional friendships. I didn’t know how to be a friend, so I certainly didn’t know anything about choosing friends who were a match for my emotional needs. And my emotional needs were far greater than what most teens and young adults could withstand.

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My parents loved us, and they did the best they could, they really did. But I’ve never heard a single positive word about myself from either of my parents, even to this day. And while I don’t need these words today ( I couldn’t receive them anyway), I can’t help but think of all of the ways I would not have suffered if I had, at any point, been told that I was worth something. Anything.

However, knowing these things about myself, and never forgetting where I began has allowed me to always, even in my darkest moments, to carry on. Being a blogger isn’t something I planned.  I feel overlooked, overshadowed, and lost in world where my story falls flat against the girls who have the “it factor.”  I want to quit all the time. I really do.

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Last week, for instance,  I went to New York Fashion week and had the worst time. I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice it to say it was a mess, and it was a mess because I was there trying to be an “it blogger,” and I played myself.  Afterwords, I came home and cried myself sick as I tried to convince myself that my NYFW disaster was a sign that I needed to throw in the towel. But then I got a call from my cousin ( who just walked in her first runway show at 65 years young -read about it HERE), and during the course of this call and through our mutual tears, I was reminded of my truth. And the truth is I’ve spent the majority of my life chasing death. I could be dead. But I am here, and there is purpose in survival.

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I do not tell this story to be pitied. In fact, when I tell folks about the not-so-great things I have endured, I cringe when they tell me they are “sorry for me.”  Don’t ever feel sorry for me. I am not sorry for myself.  I have a wonderful family, a phenomenal collection of shoes, and infinite possibilities ahead.  I tell this story because, in a world where pretense is valued over truth, I want to always remember where I come from. And for you, the girl who may be cutting herself in the bathroom, I want you to know that it does get better. Don’t give up. Never give up.

For more about me read this post HERE, HERE, and HERE. To get email notifications of my new posts sign up HERE.

For more, check out this facebook live video I posted a few days ago:

Thanks for reading!

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6 Comments

  1. Lisa, when I read the title, I thought “here’s another REAL post all bloggers can relate to” and then I read it and my heart sunk. I know that you aren’t looking for pity and that the sorry of an internet friend may not do away with any of the pain you feel but allow me to say that I am truly sorry that you have gone through and are going through these moments of inferiority. Parents tend to do their best with what they have so I am willing to bet that no one ever told them they were worth it growing up so they most likely didn’t know how to show that level of affection to their children.

    Rest assured that I find you to be one of the strongest bloggers I follow, always taking a risk of some sort, voicing her opinions with no limit and pushing the boundaries with every blog post. Not one other blog I read is like yours and I’m not just saying that. The fact that you try (and successfully succeed) at trying different methods show just how human you are, and the fact that you keep winning against all odds show me and your followers how much of a superwoman you truly are. This is why I wanted to drive all the way to Boston to your event to meet you, remember?

    Please give yourself some credit for the hard work you put in while allowing yourself to experience those not so pleasant feelings but please never give up. Seeing you thrive give me hope and it also encourages plenty of your internet friends. And while you think that you may have failed at something, there’s people like me on the side lines, rooting for you and hoping that they had accomplished half of what you accomplished. You are inspiring. You are special. And most of all, Jesus loves you! Believe it.

    With a love like Christ’s love,

    Edwina

  2. This has resonated with me so deeply. I’m only now beginning to realise that depression never completely leaves you and you have to actively work at keeping that door closed. As a mother, the gravitas of my own sad and hateful thoughts from my teen years hit me now. And that even though I’m no longer in that desperate place, I know it’s something I need to triumph everyday.

    Thank you for sharing your story.

    1. Thank your sharing yours! Hang in there, sis! It gets better

  3. you go girl. you inspire me to keep moving on. I met you a few years ago and you keep inspiring me.

  4. Thank you for your honesty and vulnerability. I enjoyed reading about your experiences. Much love and continued growth and success to you ?.

  5. Girl, you got me crying at work. This is such a relative post for so many of us. But God has a plan for all of us and that is why we persist. He gives his hardest battles to His strongest soldiers. be blessed boo!

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