Emotional Abuse Support

This page was created by an emotional and verbal abuse survivor. I'm here to off help and support. Submissions of stories or artwork are more than appreciated.

[itgetsbetter]

Communicate. That’s the biggest and best first thing you can ever do. Whether it be with a teacher, sibling, friend, parent or even a counselor. Being able to communicate is the first step to your life getting better. It doesn’t have to be even talking; it can be a letter or email or text…let people know what’s going on in your life, your thoughts and emotions. People can and will help you, you just need to search them out. Oh and one last thing, never EVER let someone bring you down. You’re you, and you is always good enough. Never stray from who you are because you never know who will come along and want and love “you”.

- Marc M. (Brampton, ON, Canada)

[youmatterlifeline]

[calmingmanatee]

[IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A photograph of a manatee in open water, with fins open wide. TEXT: “There is no wrong way to practice self care. You do what you need to do.”]

(Image credit to ScubaDiving.com.)

[sparkitors]

Incredible illustrator @thelatestkate has never been afraid to talk about difficult topics; in the past, she’s shared her personal experiences with depression and leaving her religion, and her courage and candidness are always inspirational to us.

Today, she deals with another serious issue: how to cope if your parents are bullies. Bullying may seem like something that just happens in high school hallways, but it can happen at home, too—and if it’s happening to you, please know that the SparkLife community is always here for you, and that there are places you can turn to for help. 

[my-lil-spot]

To everyone who has exams this week

You can do it. I believe in you so hard. Deep breathes if you start getting overwhelmed while you study or during the test. Just believe in yourself and try you’re best. You define who you are, not a test score.

[thebooker-deactivated20160630]

#ReadForMentalHealthWeek Recommendations

Throughout Mental Health Week, I’ve been posting some recommendations for books (mostly fiction and mostly Young Adult) that deal with mental health issues/mental illnesses that I’ve read and enjoyed personally. The week is almost over but remember that there’s nothing to say that we can’t pick up a book like this beyond MHW too!

Click here to see all of the posts

[thebooker-deactivated20160630]

The trouble is, depression doesn’t come with handy symptoms like spots and a temperature, so you don’t realise at first. You keep saying ‘I’m fine’ to people when you’re not fine. You think you should be fine. You keep saying to yourself: 'Why aren’t I fine?’

Sophie Kinsella, Finding Audrey (via thebooker)

[the-light-fox]

If you are living with mental illness:

Hey, you’re still here? Way to go, babe. You’re amazing. Got out of bed? YOU GO. Couldn’t get out of bed? That’s okay, I love you and believe in you. Hang in there. Good job making it through the day. I don’t care if you cried, had a breakdown, couldn’t do something, whatever. You’re here, now, breathing. You’re incredible. Remember: you are more than your illnesses. You are light and love and this is just something you’ll deal with. Never stop fighting.

[infjadvice]

i hate myself and i cant stop thinking about it once ive started. i dont want to live in this cruel world but i know i have to for reasons. im ugly and fat and i havent dated anyone while almost everyone i know has. im 16 and i know i dont need to, but it saddens me still. i actually quite like myself, i think i have nice ideas and interests but i feel an extreme social pressure i fail to make friends and im too shy and ugly for someone to love me. what should i do? how do i stop thinking?

If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have traveled to Cambodia where I climbed to the top of one of the tallest temples in the world, I wouldn’t have got to mingle with elephants in their natural habitat, eat fried tarantula, or see river dolphins, I wouldn’t have learned to love my pale skin, appreciate being alone, and value every human connection no matter how small. If I didn’t get past 16 I never would have fallen in love with a musician whom I never got more than a kiss out of. If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have started acting again and gone on to do 2 professional shows after graduating college. If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have become a writer, a dream I didn’t know I wanted.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have discovered I love dogs just as much as cats.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have developed a happy relationship with my parents.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have had sex for the first time.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have had good, great, or mind-blowing sex with someone I loved.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have fallen in love with a fellow actor in college whom I fell so deeply for that I will never be the same.If I didn’t get past 16 I would have never realized who my true friends are.If I didn’t get past 16 I would have never met my two best friends at college, one of which has given me a place to stay when I need one more than once, the other who I believe knows my soul and how to love it more than anyone in the world.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have won essay awards in Feminism and graduated top 10% of my class. If I didn’t get past 16 then I wouldn’t have realized that theatre people are ‘my people’ and the theatre is my true home. If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have started writing music.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have learned to play the piano, a life-long dream of mine.If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have learned to play the ukulele, a dream I didn’t have but is now my favorite. If I didn’t get past 16 I wouldn’t have made this blog, I wouldn’t be writing to you, I wouldn’t be planning on going to Nepal in the winter, Grad school in the fall, and adopting a dog as soon as I can.

You don’t know what the future holds for you or what you’ll be called to do. But I can promise it will be better than what you are going through now. Because life works that way; it’s terrible one minute and a dream the next. If you don’t turn the page you’ll never know what dreams you could have made.

Don’t quit. Talk to your family doctor and find a therapist you like asap. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.

You can do this. Your future self is looking upon you smiling.

Stay Awesome

[semi-jesus-deactivated20151203]

here’s to those who fight battles we never know about, the ones who suffer in silence.

[ands-hewaslike]

It's world mental health day ...

Start a conversation today. Raise awareness;

ADHD is a very real disorder and not just someone being ‘hyperactive' & you do not know how much OCD controls some people’s lives. Stop trivialising these disorders.

Depression is not a 'phase’, and you cannot just 'get over’ anxiety. Stop making people feel worse than they already do.

People with borderline personality disorder are not 'manipulative’ and people with schizophrenia are not 'out to get you’. Stop demonizing less well known mental illnesses.

Eating disorders are deadly and not to be glorified - and yes, binge eating disorder is 'a thing’ - it is not someone being 'greedy’ or 'lazy’. Stop glorifying some illnesses and stop downplaying others.

No you are not so 'bipolar’ for having mood swings, and no, she is not such an 'insomniac’ for staying up till 2 am last night , and that boy so does not look 'anorexic’. Stop using mental illnesses as adjectives.  

[spacezeros]

there are good days and there are bad days. always be there for your friends, family and loved ones fighting mental illness.

#WorldMentalHealthDay

[positivedoodles]

[bigbardafree]

deciding i was pretty was the best thing that i ever did

one day i was just like

fuck this im pretty

and i was

[meredithpage]

i’m reblogging this twice because this is probably the truest statement I’ve ever come across. And it holds power and ability for every person struggling within themselves. use this because it will make a difference in your life.

[sadchickpea]

Tip to help with an anxiety attack

- Look around you. - Find 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.

This is called grounding. It can help when you feel like you have lost all control of your surroundings.

Please reblog, it could really help someone in need.

[huthun-deactivated20160508]

This is so helpful

[freeyourssoul]

this is honestly so good

[ihavehadnocourage-deactivated20]

What I’ve learnt from my depression. 1) The world owes you nothing.  2) Those thoughts that tell you to harm yourself aren’t rational, put as much distance between them and yourself as possible. 3) Taking medication does not make you weak. 4) Forgetting what it’s like to laugh is heartbreaking.  5) Feeling content is a miracle.  6) People won’t always understand. 7) It’s not an excuse, it’s a legitimate reason as to why many things are difficult.  8) Sometimes you’ll feel nothing. 9) Stand up for yourself. 10) Not everyone will be kind. 11) Educated people whenever you can. 12) There will be days where getting out of bed will be an achievement and that's okay. 13) It may take a few days to feel okay again after socialising. 14) There’s many ways that this can affect you. 15) You’re not weak, you’re doing okay.

Hannah D (ihavehadnocouage)

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

Always defend your right to heal at your own pace. You are taking your time. You are allowed to take your time.

Unknown (via onlinecounsellingcollege)