My families perfect image of me is ruining my life
I’m 22f, diagnosed when I was 16. My family knows this. I’m not on a stable dose of mood stabilizers, never have been, Ive never found remission. My swings are extreme- I can go multiple months crying myself to sleep every night.
Heres the issue, I’m under extreme pressure to achieve. I’m the first in my family to go to college right out of highschool, art school as well, which was my mamaws dream. I’ve always gotten good grades, I’ve always enjoyed school and art because I couldnt get along with other kids. But Ive been seen as the smart kid with a bratty streak. Ive been accused by my family of being a narcissist and faking for attention my whole life. I only got the depression diagnosis because I attempted, even that was chalked up to attention seeking.
I graduated college early, got an internship out the gate. I’m the hypothetical golden child, but I’m still unstable. The internship is in a part of the country where I have no friends or family. Ive been out here for a year now, uninsured, unable to get consistent care, lonely and feeling abandoned. I feel like I’ve been left out here to die. Anytime I ask to move closer to family I get a firm reprimand “that would be the biggest mistake of your life.” They don’t believe me when I say my life is at risk. They think I’m giving up on my dreams.
I’ve grown up being told I ruin vacations, I’m selfish. I got cussed out at my graduation for being too selfish. And then I cried, and got yelled at for crying, and ran off to spent my graduation weekend alone.
Ive sent articles, books, videos, they’ve promised to watch, but I don’t think they’ve bothered.
I love my family but the expectation for perfection is tearing me apart and causing me to have these hysteric breakdowns every time I reach out. I’m treated like a toddler having a fit. But the expectation is this perfect pleasant person, and I can’t be that. I just want to feel seen and understood. I don’t want to feel so much shame around who I am.