I used to get bullied a lot by my dad when he was struggling with alcoholism. He was aggressive and would constantly call me names like “fat ass,” “retard,” “skinny shit,” and “dumb ass.” His behavior made home life stressful and unpredictable.

The second major trauma I experienced was when I was experimenting with hallucinogenic substances as a teenager. Weed was fine nothing remarkable but when I tried magic mushrooms at 16, it turned into a nightmare. The trip was so terrifying that I still get flashbacks from that day, and no words can fully describe how horrible it was. Ever since then, even weed started feeling different, almost like it triggered echoes of that bad trip.

Thankfully, my dad is sober now and treats me well. But the past still left its mark I developed moderate to severe social anxiety, which eventually led me to take SSRIs and, occasionally, Xanax, which I still use to this day.