Introductions...

We all hate them, but they must be done. There's no avoiding. There's no procrastinating. It's just down and dirty. So, I'll start by talking about me. Why? I'm not quite sure. Maybe because it's simple human nature for one to be fascinated with themselves and to expect others will be just as intrigued? It's possible.

The Basics
Name: Imani
Nickname (Because those are so important): Mani
Age: 18 (Legal, as I like to say)
Sex: F
Location: Stuck in Wisconsin

The Gritty Details
For the past eight or nine years I've suffered from a disorder. It's called major depression, or clinical depression, or a mood disorder, or major clinical depression with recurrent episodes. Whichever way you choose to skew the wording, I suffer from depression. But that's not it. Along with the depression are it's friends generalized anxiety (GAD), social anxiety, and self harm (SH). Through the years I've accumulated more scars than I can count, I've gone through more psychiatrists and therapists than I'd like to count, I've become well acquainted with hospitals, and I've felt more negative emotions in my adolescent life than some will before they die. It hasn't been a fun time, especially when you spend most of your time in an episode, waiting on an episode to reoccur, or getting over an episode. 

This year is my last year in school, if we don't count college. This year has also been on of the worst, and that says a hell of a lot. Depression has been my sidekick since fourth, maybe fifth grade. We've grown up together. We've tried to destory each other, but despite all my might, there is no substanial relief. I was sad before I ever knew what happiness was, so to me, depression has taken over my entire life. Gradually, but surely. 

So what's the purpose of the blog?
This year, after all that I've been through, I decided that I'd like to start a blog. Since I could write, I've been writing, journaling, and practicing the craft of poetry until it became second nature. Most of my writing, I've salvaged for the very moment I'd take the time to reach out to other people. Well this blog is me reaching out. This blog is me wanting other kids, other adults, other sufferers to know that they are not alone and pleading with them not to fight their fight in the darkness of isolation. And if I do nothing else with my life, I want to stand up and out so that I can help people fight.

In this blog I will include poetry. I will post journals from different time periods of my life so far, hopefully I'll manage to do it in some order. I will post pictures of my artwork. I will share my day with you. I will put myself out there so that light will be shed in as many corners as this blog can reach because I'd like for you to fight with me.

And there you have it. My story. An intro to my wry humor and sarcasm. Happy blogging.

xo
Imani