I hardly ever feel like there is anyone who understands me thoroughly because I am a strange, fragile and multicoloured person with many fears and insecurities. It may sound paranoid and melodramatic but I always feel a sense of loneliness running through my veins. It is not just a state of mind, but a lingering self-destructive inner disease and I find it really challenging to share my emotions because I am afraid of being judged and misunderstood. 
     Since I turned 20, I have experienced an intense quarter-life crisis. I have doubted my identity and self-worth. There have been numerous questions rooting in my mind: “Who am I? What am I trying to do?”. Facing this crisis has helped me acknowledge my strengths and limitations, however, it also has led to an increase in anxiety and mood swing. 
     My emotional instability went out of hand in 2020. The year was filled with grief and loss, I blamed myself for taking other people for granted when they were still here. When Vietnam carried out quarantine and social distancing at the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic last year, I had to learn and work remotely, which, unfortunately, made my sense of solitude worse. Never had I felt so isolated and helpless. It was like being imprisoned in a maze of pessimism and gloominess. However, I chose to turn a blind eye to my own mental health problems. This poor emotion management took its toll on my health physically and mentally. My sleeping and eating patterns changed dramatically as I was undersleeping and undereating. I even got regular nose bleeds and panic attacks due to the overwhelming workload and stress. The worst part was that I had no one to confide in, and I did not want to ask for help because of my enormous ego and fear. Ironically, I did not trust my feelings either, I wondered if my issues were real or if it was just me making mountains out of molehills. I concealed my depression so perfectly that little did people around me, even my closest friends or my siblings know that my vitality was shattered in pain.  
     Some hopeless stress-relieving efforts I made included writing private wall posts on Facebook or painting depressing artworks did not help much. Despite being an art enthusiast and a cinephile, during the time of distress, I could hardly concentrate on painting or enjoying movies anymore. As the day went by, my self-doubt gradually butchered my enthusiasm and strangled my passions. I was completely broken down in both mind and body until that moment called “Epiphany”. 🍊

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     I experienced an unforeseen and striking moment of self-realization when I came across a video named “How to practice emotional first aid” by Guy Winch on Youtube. Somehow, the YouTube algorithm got me. The video left a lasting impression on my pathetic brain. All of a sudden, I realized how cruel, irresponsible and illogical I was when dealing with my emotional disorder. After that, I spent time searching for some materials and articles concerning psychological health issues. The more I knew about mental health, the more surprised I got by how serious it could be and how many people out there were dealing with the same problems. 
     To cope with my struggle of mental illness, I started practising emotional hygiene by trying several therapeutic treatments including journaling, learning languages on a daily basis. Writing and decorating my journal have been integral activities of my regular routine to mitigate feelings of anxiety, and overwhelm. No matter how busy I am, I still manage to do them. I do not write and paint because I want to escape anymore but because I wish to build a colourful world where emotions and feelings are all worth-sharing and are valued in the right manner. I am learning to enjoy my own company while trying to be more open at the same time. I finally have summoned enough courage to talk about my issues with some friends and to build my sense of belonging. There is still much progress needed to be made, but I am proud that I am being stronger and more stable.
     The path of defining and healing myself is still full of obstacles and uncertainties but I refuse to give up. Every day is a battle for me. Taking part in the Moment of Development contest is also my act to fight back, to challenge my self-destructive behaviours and self-denying mindset. Today, I decided to silence my self-doubt and insecurities to step out of my comfort zone and open up about my concerns. I want to live like a painstaking gardener planting and nourishing the healthy seeds of positivity into my mind and rooting out the weeds of self-doubt and insecurities day after day.
     The process of self-searching and emotion-recovering requires time and a high level of determination and strength, but I know it is worthy. So, may you join this journey with me? 
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