[18F] I’ve been struggling with my mental health for about 6 years and I’ve almost made some regrettable decisions. Thankfully I pulled through those dark times and survived. But depression doesn’t just go away I’m sure and anxiety doesn’t just leave. I still have depressive episodes and my anxiety is affecting me in different less obvious ways. As a result I have nightmares and cut a lot of people out my life, my logic on making keeping and maintaining relationships is skewed and I’ve gotten to a point where even texting/calling someone is a daunting task that I avoid at all costs. Aside from school group chats, I archive everyone in my contacts and I’d forget about them until I happen to get a text or I feel the need to say hi, which is rare. I graduated high school last year and this semester is my first at uni. It’s online of course, but physical school is expected to start In January because our cases are decreasing. I’d like to finally take the step to get some help before the pressures of school and being around people takes its toll on me and I ‘crash’ again. Over the past few months I’ve been feeling myself slipping down into that dark pit again, and I don’t want to be there...I want to be able to make friends, work efficiently and overall cope better with various things and feel emotions again.

My parents seem to be aware that I’m not too right upstairs and my mother would constantly say in a mocking tone “You okay? Do you need to see someone? Do you want a counselor? Because something not right with you”. Of course I wouldn’t answer because of her tone. I’ve been wanting to say yes for a few years now and I now have the courage to ask to see one. I noticed that a fairly new mental health clinic opened up near where I live and it looks nice. I love its atmosphere and it makes me feel cozy just looking at it. It looks safe. That’s one of my main reasons for wanting to go. (It looks like a cute cottage). My country has free healthcare and from what I read online the clinic is also free, another selling point. I don’t wanna burden my parents financially as my father is injured and my mom is the sole breadwinner for our family. It has decent reviews too. I’d really like to go but I have no idea how to approach my parents or what to say. A question that’s bound to come up is “Why do you need to see a stranger when you have us?” etc. Hell no lol. What should I say, or how should I respond if such questions are asked? What if they say no?