By Qin Xu //
“The sun will rise and we will try again.” – Truce by Twenty One Pilot.
Having battled with different mental illnesses ranging from anorexia to depression since the start of my teenage years, I have learnt that mental health is just as important as physical health. And like any physical illnesses, it is possible to recover from a mental illness with the appropriate help and support. I am thankful and privileged to be blessed with a strong support system that made recovery much more manageable. However, we all know that recovery is never linear and at times it can be really hard to continue and push on with recovery.
As someone who has reached a point in her recovery that I can safely tell my story and hopefully empower others without risking a relapse, I am here to tell you that recovery is always worth it.
I believe that many have heard this quote “your worst days in recovery are and will always be better than your best days when you are deep in your mental illness”. Yes, there will definitely be days when you feel like giving up, when you feel like everything you have done is getting you nowhere and you are just stuck forever, and the thought of just giving up on this whole fight is very tempting. Afterall, if recovery were that easy, we would all be cured within days.
But the journey of recovery is harsh, yet essential. If you are struggling to find reasons to recover, recover for yourself. This is your life and you deserve to be free from the mental struggles you face on a daily basis. If you feel like you don’t deserve recovery, then recover for the people who love and care for you. Recover for the future for there is always hope; hope that one day you will no longer have to fight the demons in your head, hope that one day you will look back on your journey and be proud of how far you have come and how your struggles have shaped you into a stronger person, hope that you will be glad that you have taken the brave and large step in choosing to recover.
Recovery is an essential process for one to be free from mental illness. It is a process with many ups and downs, many smiles and tears, many proud moments and relapses; but at the end of the day, it is a process of growth and strength. I came out of recovery stronger and much more ready to deal with any challenges life may throw at me.
Even if you did not give your best shot at recovery today, know that you are still taking small steps in the right direction and there is always time for you to try again. Make a conscious choice every day for recovery is worth it, it will always be.
Qin Xu is an IP student finishing her final year in high school. She hopes to empower people with her story and words and give them hope on recovery. She also wishes to spread the message that recovery is worth it so that more people will choose to seek help and embark on it. She hopes to study psychological medicine in the future to use her personal experiences to help more people.
To read more of our Tapestry stories, click here.