thank you

when i share bigger pieces of my life, like my battle with postpartum depression, my intention isn't to help myself feel better or to partake in some cheap form of therapy.



why i do it actually has much more to do with other people.


i believe that certain battles in life should never be fought alone because no good will ever come from someone suffering in silence. i believe with a dire conviction that isolation is gravely counterproductive to a persons road to healing. i found this to be particularly true with postpartum depression and even more so with sexual or emotional abuse. acknowledging that we all deal with something is the first step of many in the removal of stigma and shame surrounding such sensitive topics.


encouraging victims to share their stories contributes tremendously to a healthy, proactive, and honest dialogue about abuse and in turn leads to bigger change within our society. for me, the easiest way to support other victims is by sharing my own experiences to let whoever may be reading know that they are not alone.



this is why i put dark parts of my life out there. after i wrote what i wrote yesterday, i was completely overwhelmed by the rallying of so many people- women and men, strangers and close friends. up until this point, very few people were aware of this small part of my life and i assumed that was best. but it wasn't best because no greater good was ever going to come from remaining quiet.


and, as you have probably noticed, quiet isn't really my style and i'd hate to break precedent....


so, thank you everyone, for showing me such incredible compassion yesterday. thank you for supporting me and everyone who still suffers in silence.




xx,
c