[Everglow.]

I'm open about some bits and very closed about others. Anxiety is something I talk freely about and I cope with it by making it into a joke so I can laugh at myself when I'm around other people, and I find it's something a lot of people I know understand and have experience with so it's easier to talk about. Self harm and dark thoughts I'm less open with in real life and have never actually told anyone about quite a lot of that. It's just not something I feel ok sharing because it's more serious I guess. Everyone is different and while I do encourage openness about mental health because it shouldn't be a taboo, sometimes talking can be hard on mental health in itself, so it's important to have ways to manage the potential aftermath of that. Having access to services like therapy, for example, will offer a toolbox of coping mechanisms and a safe space to talk through anything that results from opening up.