I didn't escape mine (Family of Origin) until I was 33.5 years of age.

Come to find out they were the direct source of my mental health issues and when they started undermining my recovery process I kicked them to the curb.

I got a little furnished studio apartment of my own.

I quit a job with benefits that I'd had for 18 years because I couldn't handle it and my wrecked mental health simultaneously.

I took a job as a cashier at a convenience store working 10pm - 6am so I'd have as little responsibility and contact with people as possible. That freed me up to focus on my mental health issues.

I then took myself over to the county mental health office because I had no insurance and couldn't afford private therapy or anti-depressants.

There was a group for anxiety and panic that I attended weekly for about 5 years at no cost and my antidepressants only ran me about $5.00 a month.

Whew! Talk about a lifesaver!

I've been working on my recovery process for a total of 20 years now and am now back to working a job with more responsibility and people interaction, but I've worked really hard to get my mental health back to where I can actually do that.

But had I not done what I did 20 years ago, I wouldn't be here typing this.

I hope you are able to "save" yourself too.

No matter what it takes!