I'm a real boy!

I'm feeling optimistic. I am steadily starting to get my life back on the rails. I rearranged my lounge this week, tidied my bedroom, and even have a working boiler which gives me hot water and heating when I ask for it! I've also been attending job interviews for jobs I actually want to get, and this time round, instead of hoping I don't get any because I don't feel I can cope with one, I actually really want to be successful with these!

I've also gone back to attending therapy at the Priory, and this time round, it's really helping! I think I'm finally in a good enough place to be able to put all of the things into action. I'm using all the skills and techniques I'm being taught, and they're actually working! I've had thoughts which previously would have given me the desire to self-harm, and even suicidal ideation, and using the coping strategies I've been given, I've been able to stop the thoughts in their tracks, and think about something else!

I'm also starting to see friends more, and get a bit of a social life back.

Long story short, I feel like I'm actually starting to become me again. It's been a very long process - around two years or so - but I'm finally starting to feel like a real person again, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me.

Of course there are still going to be bad moments - leaves on the line, to carry on the metaphor - but I'm now confident that I'll be able to deal with them and carry on. I'll still need my support network from time to time, but I hope that those times will become less and less frequent as I become more adept at using the skills I'm learning.