[LiteraryLark]

My overall mental health and self-respect has made huge improvements than say when I was in high school, or even just a year ago: I'm socializing and dating, I'm passing my classes, and I'm excelling in a job that I actually enjoy (the first job I've ever enjoyed doing). Throughout most of my life I've dealt with self-loathing of my appearance. I couldn't pass a mirror without getting angry with myself. I'd call myself horrible names and had affection for those who called me worse things, and thus I was made to believe that I was worthless. I was never good enough for myself and found nothing but flaws in myself. I spent every day for years just hating who I was, and it wasn't until I found out that I was bipolar that I learned that I can can control the negativity in my life. The problems that were out of my control then were now manageable, and I decided that I would learn how to treat myself better. I used a lot of the skills I learned throughout counseling to correct myself when I started having negative thinking and fought it with positive reinforcement--affirmations, picking out clothes that I look good in, and more importantly helping out my friends and family. I may not always be happy with the way I look, but I can compliment myself and feel good about myself which is something I never thought I'd be able to do.

Gives me some positive hope for myself.