Hi, my name is Andrea . I am 16 years old and I struggle with several mental health challenges, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, and BPD. I’ve been struggling with my mental health since I was 10. My parents didn’t understand what I was going through until I finally spoke up and told them I was sexually abused by my stepbrother when I was nine. I’ve been hospitalized twice due to self-harm and suicidal ideation. Recently, a major conflict with my mother led to me being sent to juvenile detention. I even spent my 16th birthday there on March 31st. When I was released and went back to school, some of my ‘friends’ stopped talking to me. Because of that, I turned back to self-harm in April, though I stopped once I realized how bad it was getting. I am also struggling with alcoholism and addictions to marijuana and vaping. I haven’t gone to rehab yet because I’m scared of what it will be like, but people tell me I need professional help for my addictions before things get even worse—or before I end up back in the system.