It seems like the tears will never stop. Friends and family mean well, but the things they say are unhelpful, even hurtful. No one can really understand what it feels like to face life after your loss. The loneliness, sadness, and frustration keep you awake at night wondering if this is a normal experience. When will life feel satisfying again? What if it never does?

You have so many goals and dreams for yourself, but deep down don’t believe you can achieve them. People have told you you’re “lazy” or “don’t apply yourself,” not seeing the enormous effort you put in just to keep up with day-to-day tasks. Your loved ones get angry when you struggle to be on time, remember important information, get distracted when they talk to you, or have to reassure you that they still like you, but you’re not doing any of this on purpose. Sometimes you think, “If only I could find a way to “fix” my brain, life would be so much easier.”

Doing things for others, supporting them emotionally, these are the things that you live for. Unfortunately, you struggle to show this same love to yourself. You always say “yes” when you really want to say “no,” and then end up feeling depleted and resentful. If you do say “no,” you feel guilty and the need to explain yourself. Self-care is hard to make time for, or gets lost in the shuffle of all the people you’re taking care of in your life. You want to be more confident, but aren’t really sure that you like yourself or even know who you truly are outside of the roles you play for other people.