The many faces of me. ~Kim~ pic #3 crying all day. Last 2, very dark days 😢

Hi! Thank you for coming to my closet. I’d like to bring awareness to the disease of depression and mental illnesses that normally accompany it. I was able to fake it and push my way through until about 15 years ago. My sister unexpectedly passed away in 1996 and her only son came to our family at the age of 11. I had to hold myself together for the sake of him and our other 4 kids. In hindsight, I think it was the start of things to come. Then, one day, about 15 years ago, I had the sudden and unexplained severing of relationship with my father. It caused me to have a nervous breakdown and in the hospital. That’s when I found out the severity of my mental condition. From that point on, I was put on medications to help me. Prior to this, I had many stints of being bedridden for months and once for over a year. I was never suicidal, so I didn’t think I was depressed. I thought I was grieving. Over time and therapy I realized that I’m very OCD and I’ve always had panic/anxiety issues but I learned how to avoid so that I rarely had any episodes. Multiple serious traumas over my lifetime brought on PTSD too. I was always able to push through until the breakdown. I show these pictures of myself and the many faces. I look happy when I’m in a struggle. The last pictures are when my meds aren’t working and I’m in a very bad place. If you or someone you know is struggling, try to be patient and just love them and yourself. 💜🦋💜 #the struggle is real