Dear Suzie, I think I have the worst life ever!
I am a fourteen year old boy. I am currently suffering from OCD, Depression and Anxiety. I am gay but currently in the closet. I may and probably have Marfan Syndrome. I think I\’m transgendered seeming as I like a lot of girly things (not like make-up but more dresses and skirts).
Do I have the worst life ever? I seriously don\’t know what to do with my life. I really hate it.
I really hope you can help me. Thank you for your time.
Let’s not get into whether your life is any better or any worse than anyone else’s. I bet I could come up with millions of people suffering more than you but that’s not the point; it doesn’t make you feel any better and you do, clearly feel awful
I do sympathise. Often it feels as if the problems we have in our lives are overwhelming and cannot be overcome.
But most of the time, they feel like that because you’re looking at the whole picture. You’re seeing that you have OCD, AND Depression AND Anxiety AND you’re gay and in the closet AND may have Marfan Syndrome. Phew – that’s a lot to process.
But, you see, if you broke it down and started looking at each situation in turn, it may begin to seem more manageable. You have OCD – have you asked for and got some help with that? Your GP should be sympathetic and be able to give you some treatment, support you in some self-help therapy and send you to a therapist for more help.
Your GP could also help with your depression and anxiety, as could the therapist who would help you with the OCD. But you should be in touch with your GP already, if you have Marfan’s Syndrome or are suspected of having it. I would think he or she would be ready to counsel and support you in any understandable depression.
You might like to get in touch with Marfan Association UK for more help on that. And since your worries about being gay are almost certainly increasing your confusion and uncertainty, I’d strongly suggest you confide in your doctor about this too. Don’t forget, whatever your age, your doctor has to treat anything you say with total confidentiality.
Once you begin to ask for support and get it, you can pick off and deal with each issue one by one. Then, they begin to be less scary and more manageable.