Another traumatic memory from this year! I visited centrelink to ask them what was what about moving out of home whilst on study benefits and ofcourse I got seen straight away and they were super helpful... said no one ever. They insisted I use a computer, I said I just had questions and couldn’t someone help me and I have a fear of technology, and they became short with me and basically snobbed me off. I went back with my phone in hand, with their website at the ready that stated in plain english I could go into a centre and SPEAK to someone about changing my circumstances, she snobbed me off even more rudely than before. I had already had a panic attack that day because of an oral presentation coming up the following week, about which I had sent a few daunting emails to daunting professors. I left the place and sat outside and had a full blown panic attack. I curled in a ball. I hit myself in the face, dug my nails into the back of my neck, I rocked back and forward and was crying and mumbling to myself. I went back in one last time. They were nicer this time. I sat numbly at the computers they directed me towards. I welled up again and couldn’t stop myself hitting myself in the forehead with my hand that was tensed into a claw shape. a different lady than before came over and asked gently if everything was ok. I managed a slow and controlled ‘yes, fine thankyou’ through tears (although I’m not sure if I actually spoke this outloud) and then she came back and gave me a list of emergency housing options.
They thought I was homeless.
This is my worst memory from this year, this is the worst day of my life, worse than the day I found out my best friend was officially dating the man I was in love with, and until a month prior had been sleeping with, worse than the day I decided to kill myself because they refused to break up (a decision he talked me out of, taking the smashed glass bottle away from me and keeping me safe), worse than the day I found out they were still sleeping together after he’d lead me on a second time making me believe they were over, worse than the day I cut my two best friends from my life because of how toxic they were, worse than the day I fell several metres over the edge of a cliff and had my face smashed by ice chunks, worse than the day the next love left on a plane for good, worse than the countless mental breakdowns, selfharm and spiral of anxiety I’ve lived with for over a decade,
It was worse because for the first time, I allowed my crazy to show in public. I am a crazy muttering woman, those one’s you see on the train that cause you to think about that report you saw on how ice is ruining people’s lives.
People like that do not make the grade, do not get the job and most certainly do not fall in love.