This is a poem I wrote before I left for Scotland, two weeks out of treatment and back into the real world. Understand that while I was in treatment, I had access to help 24/7. When I headed back to my life, I found it difficult. This person or that person didn't understand or care what triggered me. Society marches to the beat of its own drum. What I did was conform to how society was feeling that day, and was able to remove myself from the situation, retreat and regroup.

It's easy to dwell in the negative, but finding a safe place to work through what went wrong and most importantly, “How do I fix it?” is the only approach going forward. Mental health is an injury, but this injury is invisible. If you're in a cast and struggling, people can see that and offer assistance. With mental health, if you're suffering and do nothing or say nothing, that is where it all goes wrong, and you will be swallowed up by the darkness.

Always stay strong and always give yourself a chance to embrace the light.