Depression
Whether we choose to admit it or not, depression is a very real & very common problem for many of us in the lifestyle! YES! I am included in those statistics as well! It took a very long time for me to come to terms with my identity & finally had to "get help" in order to "get a grip" on my mental health.
Everyone has their own story, their own journey, their own past, their own experiences & their own demons & current life struggles....that being said, many of us have ALOT in common! We all face the same challenges in this lifestyle, but it's our own individuality & backgrounds that determine how we react to our environments. I will list some of the common shared issues:
1) Religous/cultural background : all people who were raised in these families ALL share the same stigmatisms & issues. Rare is it to find people who have NOT encountered issues in these areas unless their families & groups have decided to accept it rather them condemn it.
2) "CLOSET vs OUT" : both issues have pro's & con's, but rest assured, we have ALL dealt with it at some point in time & can relate.
3) Self Acceptance : for MANY, this is a very difficult area dude to their upbringing & what they were taught growing up. Feelings of being trapped in the wrong body, being ashamed for feeling attracted to same sex or to wearing clothes from the opposite sex, can ALL wreak MAJOR HAVOC with a person's psyche. For the fortunate ones who got help, self acceptance is often achieved. For those who haven't, suicide has often been the end ressult. Thankfully, with the social media access & multiple chat platforms, it is much easier to access help then ever before!
4) Medication: for Many of us(myself included) medication is required to maintain a healthy mental status due to major depression. Thankfully, there are doctors out there now, who can diagnose & help us deal with our issues, rather then try to change us into something that we clearly are not! For many, the medication alone could be the piece of the jigsaw puzzle that was missing.....for others it could be medication & therapy as well. Some people eventually stop taking medication all together.
5) ASKING FOR HELP: if you are having issues dealing with feelings, REACH OUT TO SOMEONE! I really hate hearing about suicides, so talk to someone if you are feeling this way PLEASE!
Everyone has their own story, their own journey, their own past, their own experiences & their own demons & current life struggles....that being said, many of us have ALOT in common! We all face the same challenges in this lifestyle, but it's our own individuality & backgrounds that determine how we react to our environments. I will list some of the common shared issues:
1) Religous/cultural background : all people who were raised in these families ALL share the same stigmatisms & issues. Rare is it to find people who have NOT encountered issues in these areas unless their families & groups have decided to accept it rather them condemn it.
2) "CLOSET vs OUT" : both issues have pro's & con's, but rest assured, we have ALL dealt with it at some point in time & can relate.
3) Self Acceptance : for MANY, this is a very difficult area dude to their upbringing & what they were taught growing up. Feelings of being trapped in the wrong body, being ashamed for feeling attracted to same sex or to wearing clothes from the opposite sex, can ALL wreak MAJOR HAVOC with a person's psyche. For the fortunate ones who got help, self acceptance is often achieved. For those who haven't, suicide has often been the end ressult. Thankfully, with the social media access & multiple chat platforms, it is much easier to access help then ever before!
4) Medication: for Many of us(myself included) medication is required to maintain a healthy mental status due to major depression. Thankfully, there are doctors out there now, who can diagnose & help us deal with our issues, rather then try to change us into something that we clearly are not! For many, the medication alone could be the piece of the jigsaw puzzle that was missing.....for others it could be medication & therapy as well. Some people eventually stop taking medication all together.
5) ASKING FOR HELP: if you are having issues dealing with feelings, REACH OUT TO SOMEONE! I really hate hearing about suicides, so talk to someone if you are feeling this way PLEASE!
4 years ago