Treatment's Not Always for Addicts

There are many issues that have been swept under the rug for the past few years, many issues that need to be addressed, many that I need to have completely control over before I leave for college. (And that day is creeping up on me soon!) I have all these great resources to get the help I need here, and I should be taking advantage of those, right? After my hospitalization for a suicide scare in late 2012, I was thrown right back into the hectic world of stress and commitments that made up my junior year of high school. I stopped treatment for an eating disorder out of financial concern; when in reality, I still needed help. Part of me believes I need more help now than I did back then. So, for months, I have been debating whether to finish my senior year strong, or to take some time off and really work on getting better. 

Image source: www.gotceleb.com

When Selena Gomez, 21, recently released news that she spent time at Meadows, a rehab center in Arizona, I was quick to assume her story involved a hidden eating disorder, a dark depression, or an unmanageable addiction of some sort. When in reality, Selena just needed time to herself. Her brave acceptance of that, and even braver decision to seek help, is inspiring. In her own kind words, "It has become clear to me and those close to me that after many years of putting my work first, I need to spend some time on myself in order to be the best person I can be." Selena simply recognized she was struggling and needed to get away. And that's admiring. Especially when she returned from treatment and uploaded an Instagram photo with the caption, "I'm the happiest I've been in a while. So blessed and thankful for the future." Because it sparks hope. 


So here I am, beyond recognition that I, too, have issues to work on and tackle. Should I follow in the footsteps of Selena and make sure I'm okay before I take a huge step in my life and leave for college this summer? Or, do I continue putting school and work first, believing that one day it'll all just go away and I'll be able to live my life freely? Of course, there are both pros and cons to each option, and I'm just not sure which cons are worth enduring. But learning that Selena checked herself into treatment--for issues that others could easily overlook--has really pushed me to think hard about this and make a final decision soon.