if there's one thing i could impart on anyone younger, especially younger queer/trans/creative people, as someone who is all of the above entering their 30's and objectively spent 90% of it depressed, ill, isolated, and in shit situations it's that you really do just gotta keep going. i know, i know it sucks and you don't want to. but man you gotta. you gotta live long enough to see all those tears of pain turn into tears of pride for yourself and your survival. you've gotta live long enough to meet the people you'll love and hear them laugh. you gotta live long enough to outlive your desire to die. and i know it sucks a lot along the way, i know it's antithetical to your wants. but your wants aren't the same as your needs. and you don't need to die, you need to live.