And She Wandered.

She wandered through the harsh jungle, minding her step and being careful not to trip. She battled snakes, spiders, lions, tigers, and even the eye of a tornado.

She survived.

She fought every battle that came her way. She fought bears, lions, Pumas, gangs, and traps; she even fought herself out of the harsh maze of self-hate.

She still survived.

On the third day of her battle. She found herself drowning in the sea of hate. The waves were a thunderous torment of icy cold living glass, ready to sear through her skin and bones and tear her apart. She went under six times, and she slashed her stomach and face under the sea of abuse that was trying to swallow her whole.

She managed to swim to the shore and survive that sea of hate. It was determination, a will to survive, and a lust for life that awakened her and enabled her to survive.

She was sore from the cuts and bruises she had endured when she reached the shore. Her mind was tired from overthinking, and her bones and muscles were searing with pain. However, it was only when she reached the shore that she became aware of who she was. Braving the pain, she climbed the highest hill and pulled herself up. Stretching her arms in the air, she shouted:

"I am Tina. I am a warrior! I am brave, strong, and beautiful. I love myself as I am, and as I will be. I can achieve anything, no matter what my future holds!"

She then carried on wandering, despite the pain, heartache, and turmoil in her mind. When she reached home, she bathed her mental wounds. She took a bath, ate some soup, and wrapped herself in fluffy pajamas.

Then she had a good cry.

Tina had always been tough on herself up to this day. She had always been taught that only cowards cry. She knew her friends and family would taunt her if they saw her. She shrugged it off.

She felt good for letting it out. All the hurt, pain, and heartbreak that had been building up over the years, just poured out of her. Crying gave her some much-needed comfort from the loneliness she faced every day. It released her soul and calmed her mind.

When she stopped crying. The pain disappeared. She realized that the jungle and the sea of hate were just her mind's way of releasing all the mental pain that she had kept in all these years.

She realized that she wasn't a coward for crying.

Crying helped her to clear her mind, release all the tension and anger that had been buried deep inside her. Crying made her feel strong again.

Tina felt relief. She realized that sometimes

"It was okay not to be okay."

She picked up her pen and wrote

"Today, the abuse has stopped. I am me, and I don't live there anymore. I have been a lonely wanderer through the sea of hate, and the jungle in my mind. Today, I cried and I hurt like I have never hurt before. Crying does not make me a coward. It makes me strong. My mind is clear now, healing. Today I make the decision to live and continue with my goals and my dreams. I take all the healing that I need, and I talk. I am not okay, but sometimes it's okay to not be okay. Today, I am Tina, and that is who I will always be."

Tina sought professional help with her problems. She had setbacks and sometimes she didn't like the sessions, but today Tina is a writer. She is a very powerful woman who knows who she is.

Note: Sometimes we don't realize that we need help until the last minute, and we have times when we think that we don't need it. Tina's journey is written in fiction form, but it is based on the mental impact of my own battles with mental health. It took me many years to work through the 'jungle of my mind,' and 'the sea of hate.' I was told many things such as I was a 'coward' for crying, and that 'it wasn't okay to be not okay.' When I took the right help, I was able to rebuild my life, and after many storms, I have finally done it. It is hard work, but you can do it. It starts with you, and it starts with not listening to everyone else's version of you.

Remember: It is healthier to cry than bottle it up, and it's good to seek help, because taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health.