Hello! So glad you found me, I think you would feel more comfortable knowing some things about me and maybe in these things you can find something to relate to and hopefully feel more able to open up to or approach me.

My name is Alex, I'm 22 and I live in England. I came across this site from a post on social networking site Tumblr and I think I could really help some people so I signed up to be a listener.

I've had an eventful life, it's made me very compassionate and I'd like to think, quite wise. I find myself able to put myself into other peoples situations mentally and I am able to make create options for you based on the things you've told me. I believe in self healing. I have never taken antidepressants.

I was raised by a mother, a wonderful, wonderful mother who struggled with mental illness, I went into the foster system for 10 years. 1 year after leaving foster care, aged 14 I fell pregnant and after being pressured by teachers and my school counselor, I terminated the pregnancy, this lead to some depression and bad decisions and a long time of grieving. I drank everyday with school friends, in and out of school from the age of 15 until I went to a 'house party' and was attacked by 3 men whilst my friend watched. With social anxiety. I picked myself up when I was 16 thanks to a new boyfriend who very quickly turned very abusive, mentally and emotionally (not physically) he cheated on me (sexual intercourse) with 16 different girls, 5 of those being in my close circle of school and childhood friends. I then dated a very bad guy who occasionally puts his hands on me, but only because I made him mad and I clouded his mind, made it foggy and he couldn't not put his hands on me. My fault, of course. (Of course it wasn't) After this I made new friends and got very involved in drugs. I wouldn't go home for weeks on end. I woke up one day and just decided I didn't want to be sad anymore. And then began my journey. All of the above should have broken me, I should be depressed and miserable, addicted to drugs and alcohol with no friends, but I'm not. I'm absolutely the opposite, I think with everything I have learned on my journey I could really help you.

Get in touch, it's a great day to start living :)