They call me the classic wild child. I am turning 18 in 15 days and it scares the living shit out of me. Having depression, for me, is like somone covering my eyes so im blind to the positive and all i can think of is every reason why I will fail as an adult. 2 weeks ago I almost died from an overdose because that was how I solved my problems. I refused to stay home to be alone with my thoughts. I couldnt talk to anyone in my family about how i felt because I didnt trust any of them. They were Mormon and I knew they would just tell me to pray and to stop doing drugs. But they didnt get that being in that type of atmosphere was the only way I knew how to be happy (or fake happy) and it was the only place I didnt feel like an outsider. And then it all came crashing down. As hard as my past has been, especially these last two years, they have taught me so much. I completely removed myself from all of the unhealthy people and places i would use to cope. I moved 30 min away to my dads house. I dont know anyone in this town and it ended up being the best decision ive ever made. I am now 15 days sober, accepted into college with a plan to graduate with a degree in Equine Rehabilitaion, just got a job, and have made a complete 180. I had no plan, no job, and no hope for the future. I didnt love myself and I realized that was the biggest problem for me. I spent my whole life trying to make everyone else happy. So i stopped. I stopped trying to please everyone and I started doing things for myself that made me happy. I focused on myself and my needs and I listened to the advice my dad would give me. My depression is still very much present but I come up with game plans for when it begins to overtake me and alter my decisions. As bad as i want to stay in bed all day and forget the world i force myself to get up and excercize and iit can pull me out of my funk within minutes. Life is hard, but when you apply yourself and seek out help, the results are amazing and I am so thankful for tools like this website for allowing me to see that I am not alone in this world. My feelings are my feelings but my happiness should not be sacrificed. I will continue to prove people who have doubted me, wrong because I am better than what they say I am. I am strong and I will beat my depression and I will succeed. And I know that anyone who reads this can do it too. Believe in yourself.