Going into the darkness is terrifying. I landed there due to a terrible depression that resulted from so many things happening at once in my life, and having the time to actually think about those things, many of which were quite traumatic, while also coming to terms with my childhood and how being raised in an environment of violence and neglect made me accept that as a state of being.

What we turn to when our mental health fails depends on what we know, trust and have available. We can build a support system that may become permanent in our lives, so it is on us to start leaning on that which will help us grow, and not that which will limit us. How we can figure this out along the path, is by how well we are able to redirect, substitute or switch out these supports when they no longer serve us. While family, religion, politics, altruism, idealism or therapy are common things people turn to in time of need, some of the structures within those systems can be limiting to us. Being able to use them to support us, but not corral us into acting in ways that hurt us and those we love is our task as we start healing. Thank that which supported you and release it, and see if you can now stand on your own.