Searching for Sullivan

11.14.2022

Searching for Sullivan

by Morgan Zheng

My struggle with depression and anxiety is one I still deal with every day. The hardest part is learning how to re-parent myself, to learn how to cultivate self-love, to be curious about what life might be like without my harsh inner critic.I grew up letting that inner voice, letting my fears and anxieties bury me. And it’s going to take a long time for me to get to a place where I’m completely comfortable with myself. But that’s okay. It’s enough that I’m curious, it’s enough that I believe my life, my mental health can be better. To me, that’s a start.

I used to never consider therapy, but thankfully, my current therapist has been so helpful to me, in the way they guide me, in the way give me a safe space. Because of her, I finally have the courage to talk about the scary things, like my excessive stress eating in high school, my daydreams, and the *real* reason why I hate frozen foods. I’m not sure I’d be here if it weren’t for her.

My journey has inspired me to want to support the mental health community and be an advocate for those who struggle with their mental health. In the past few months, I’ve been thinking about how I could do that. And after much thought, I’ve realized that there’s no better way to give back than through something that is wholly, unequivocally me. Therapy is helping me uncover a side of me that I hid, and it seems fitting to allow that side of me to give back.

Recently, I’ve released a book that I’ve been writing for the past couple of years. This book details the journey of a young man and his sister who search for their father. It’s safe to say that a good chunk of what I’ve come to realize about humanity made its way into the pages of my book. All proceeds for the first six months will go to ADAA. Please join me in raising awareness for mental health and raising money to support mental healthcare accessibility.

The link to my book is here. Thank you!