[mountainstream]

I'm still ''a failure''. Do I believe their opinion?

[SprinkL3]

I struggle with titles, labels, and the internalization of all the negative stuff told to me throughout my life.

It's hard not to believe those negative thoughts when society and the news reinforce them and every stereotype that's out there.

It's hard to find other people who truly care and accept us.

You're not alone in the struggle.

But there are ways to surround yourself with people who speak positively about you, who validate your pain, and who struggle alongside you. Your T, group therapy, and online here are great places to counter those negative thoughts.

If you need validation, there are rant threads and threads like here where you can discuss what's up.

If you need healing, however, there are treatments that therapists can provide, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and the use of coping skills like telling yourself positive affirmations.

You can also use distraction to avoid intrusive thoughts like that. For example, you can listen to a song, do dishes, watch a comedy show, etc.

You can also validate your feelings through journaling, artwork, or coming online here.

You can also seek help to prevent a crisis if you notice yourself spiraling down. Some help is available through crisis hotlines. Other help could be scheduling an extra therapy session.

You can also create your own healthy ways to self-care and work towards reinventing yourself and being only who you want to be - not what others want you to be or say about you. This takes work, which sometimes includes school, a new job, a new hobby, a new exercise routine, a new dietary lifestyle, a new look, etc.

I hope you feel better, and I hope you are able to counter all those negative thoughts with more positive ones - if not today, some day. It's a struggle, but you can do it.