My Self-Esteem story - Steven 20

"I had no choice"
When I joined high school, I had to go and stay with my relatives. It was easier to go to school from my relative’s place because it was easier for me to go to school from there since it was closer, and considering that I was attending a day school, it was convenient to get to school and get back home. I have to say that it is not always easy to stay with relatives, but I had no choice.

“…I had a goal in life.”
Things were hard for me because, to begin with, my relatives would call me demeaning names that hurt me and affected my self-esteem. They called me stupid and constantly reminded me that I would not amount to anything in this life. They always reminded me that I had no future and insisted that I was pretending to work hard and to like going to school. These words hurt, but I had a life goal, so I kept pressing on and working hard in school.
Most times, I would get home late because I preferred to finish all school work before I got home. Usually, I would get home and find no food, and everyone was waiting for me to come back and cook and do some dishes left in the sink all day. So I needed more time to focus on my studies.

"I reached out to the counsellor "
There was a time when a mobile phone got lost, and everyone in the house insisted that I was the one who had stolen it. They were so confident that I had done it that they even threatened to take me to the police station if I did not return the phone. I have never stolen anything, and this accusation broke me. I had previously been accused of things I had not done once, but I just let these accusations go to keep the peace. Being accused of stealing a phone was hard, so I think I started getting depression. I was so overwhelmed with fear and stress that I could barely function.Getting help
I was so demoralized. I felt worthless and hopeless. I started feeling like there was no point in living, withdrawing from the outside world and isolating myself. Finally, I accepted that I was stressed and sought help. I reached out to the counsellor at my school and got
support. The counsellor helped me find ways to deal with the stressful situation at home, which is how I managed to press on and complete my high school education.
I managed to finish high school and look forward to better days ahead. My message to anyone going through an experience such as mine is that it is essential to seek help when going through high stress and depression.