Trying to pull back from a potential meltdown in the usual way (pacing, flicking my hands, pushing on my face, and groaning) and suddenly remembered that I used to do this when I was very little. My parents would say I was “agitated”, that was the word for this feeling/behaviour.

Frustrating to know that the struggle was noticed but not really helped, but also super validating to recall that there was a word for when I went through this before. That it’s a real part of me and always has been. 

 Yeah, it’s called mental illness.

Start with healing by acknowledging you’re a male.