For quite some time, I struggled with asking someone for help. The general population has placed a cruel stigma on people who endure mental illness. I did not want to face the animosity or negative looks from certain people. Isolation became my friend. In 2016, my medications no longer helped so I was referred to Riverbend Mental Health Center. I began treatment and started the day treatment program. After seven months, Riverbend has become a safe haven for me. The coping skills I've learned have increased my social trust and behavioral self-control. I am learning that I am not worthless and useless. I can help myself as well as others.
 
Drawing, painting, photography, sculpting, making candles, and writing poetry teaches me inner peace and tranquility. As I aged and began to escape into solitude I continued to draw, paint, and write. My anxiety and depression are helped through art. Drawing is my therapy; my friend; my confidante; my hiding place; my refuge; and my passion. It helps me escape this cruel world.