Woman shares important thread on mental health recovery to remind people tough times will pass: 'Hold on'

Trigger warning: This article contains themes of suicide, mental health issues, and substance abuse that some readers may find distressing.

Understanding and accepting your mental health journey takes patience. Besides that, sharing your struggles with the world out there takes a lot of courage. With this patience and courage, there are people who relate to you, empathize with you, get inspired by you and let you know that you don't have to be alone in this journey. Similarly, author and motivational public speaker Zoe Burnett, in a moving viral Twitter thread, shared about her journey through struggles with mental health issues, specifically about her suicidal thoughts and behavior. Through the post, Burnett shared a selfie in which she was holding a glass of wine and smiling at the camera while appearing to be enjoying a party. 

With the selfie, Burnett wrote, "Just over 4 years ago, I tried to end my life. Tw. Sui*ide, I repost this picture every year. This was the last picture taken of me before my attempt. I look so happy, carefree & full of life. What many did not realize was how much I was raging a war with myself." Burnett later added tweets about her emotions around self-loathing and how the "quick thinking of a friend," who went by his instincts, managed to save her life. She added that was "consumed by a number of mental illnesses that eventually took their toll. It is by pure chance I am still here." Reflecting back, she expresses gratitude.

She shares, "I do not recognize the person I was back then. I now have a different job, new hobbies & finally living authentically. Doing things that I want to do & learning the signs of burnout. Everyone kept saying hold on, it will get better, but I did not believe them. But my goodness, it really did. I am so thankful to be alive now. Recovered from my past & I am so pleased to say that I absolutely love my life. It did get better. It really did. For all those struggling, I know it is a cliche but do hold on. Talk to those you love and keep communicating. You never know what your life could look like in a few years' time. I am so pleased I failed." She adds, "Check in on all your friends, especially the ones who do seem all ok and may be wearing a mask far too well. That mask gets heavy."

She posted it on May 29, garnering over 4.5 million views and 46.7 thousand likes. Many people came forward and shared their journey of recovering from mental health struggles in the comments section. "I love this and I love that you are a survivor! You survived to help other people who feel like all of those horrible things you felt about yourself are relevant to them. Thank you for sharing your story. I've been there myself and when you're at your lowest, you want to give up and I'm thankful I didn't. My life isn't perfect but I've come a long way," wrote @Sarbear0587.

"Thank you for sharing this. Almost two years ago, with 5 beautiful children at home, on a bright Sunday afternoon, I did the same. I am still trying to find the strength to change the things that brought me to that point, but am also grateful for people in my life who thought I was worth fighting for when I’d lost all faith in myself,"  shared @Rquietlyreading. Some people also shared how difficult it was to lose their loved one to mental distress. "So pleased to hear your success story. It rang familiar bells for me as my niece was the life and soul of the party until she took her own life 8 years ago. Our world stopped. So happy you found your path," added @Hellsbells914.

 Burnett is also a multi-award-winning Tedx speaker. She had an eating disorder for more than half of her life, believing that her weight determined her self-worth. She realized she didn't have to be underweight to have an eating disorder. She discovered body positivity and realized that her self-worth is not determined by a number on a scale. Now she counts memories rather than calories. She eventually received treatment for her illness and now shares her experience and methods for dealing with mental health issues with others.

If you have thoughts about taking your own life or know of anyone who is, please contact The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or dial 988.