You're Worth More Than You Think: A Book That Gives Confidence

By Prisilla Young

Mental health isn’t an easy topic and can be hard to understand. Doctors talk about it and try to explain. However, you still don’t understand and neither do your friends and family. The only thing you know is you’re feeling a certain way—whether you feel down all the time or feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster.

In You’re Worth More Than You Think, author Prisilla Young gives you confidence about your self-worth and encourages you to get the help you need to move forward. Using her personal experiences and those of others struggling with mental health issues, she stresses it’s never too late to seek healing. It’s a never-ending journey and takes work, but it’s possible to move on from past traumas to get the results you want.

With references provided for an array of situations, this memoir seeks to ensure you’re the owner of your own worth. Young offers insights into her world so you can regain your confidence and realize it’s okay to not be okay.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Jul 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665726900

Prisilla Young

Prisilla Young was born and raised in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, and then immigrated to the United States. She is a retired US Army veteran who strives to be an advocate for mental health. Young attends Purdue University Global, working on a bachelor’s degree in logistics and supply chain management. In her spare time, she enjoys reading and spending time with family. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Book preview

YOU’RE WORTH

MORE THAN

YOU THINK

A BOOK THAT GIVES CONFIDENCE

PRISILLA YOUNG

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Copyright © 2022 Prisilla Young.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Archway Publishing

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.archwaypublishing.com

844-669-3957

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6657-2689-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6657-2690-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022913259

Archway Publishing rev. date: 07/15/2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

PART 1: I UNDERSTAND YOU

Chapter 1: It Is Possible

Chapter 2: How It All Started

PART 2: I AM NOT ALONE, AND NEITHER ARE YOU

Chapter 3: She Too

Chapter 4: She Felt Like Me Too

Chapter 5: Welcome Back to What Seemed Like a Nightmare

Acknowledgments

About the Author

This book is

dedicated to The Smoke Pit Crew

Thank you for believing in me and supporting me in everything I do. I could never have done it without you all. The sense of family we have created, and the tight bonds that we have, can and will never be broken. Our friendship will thrive through anything because we were formed during a storm. We turned everything around into something beautiful, powerful, and everlasting. Neither distance nor time will ever keep us apart. Thank you for being my support system and being there for me in the tough times. I will always appreciate The Smoke Pit Crew.

INTRODUCTION

Disclaimer: All names in this book have been changed to protect each person’s privacy. Any names that are used are by coincidence.

Warning: This book contains explicit words and content. Please read at your own discretion.

This book is for everyone who thinks they are not worth it, and it is also for those who suffer from mental health illnesses. I am not a medical doctor; however, I am writing this from personal experience and the experience of others. Everyone in this book came from different walk of life, but we all have two things in common:

1. Our lives were not easy, and were filled with trauma; and

2. We continue to overcome it daily.

We never thought we would be here to tell our stories. However, we are here, and we can tell you. We are here to encourage you that you too can get through the pressures of life and still live and be happy.

If you feel like you are in immediate danger, close this book and dial 911.

Part 1

I UNDERSTAND YOU

It is time to talk about the elephant in the room. Mental health is not an easy topic and can be hard to understand. The doctors talk about it and try to explain it to your level the best they can. However, you still do not understand. You try your best to explain it to your family and friends, but they, too, do not understand. You barely understand yourself. The only thing you understand is that you are feeling a certain way—whether you feel down all the time or feel like you are on an emotional rollercoaster. All you know is that you want that feeling to stop. You want to feel happy; you are tired of feeling abandoned, and you are also tired of pushing everyone away. However, you do not know how to control it. You feel like you have lost total control of your emotions and life, and now you are questioning everything—even, at times, your existence. You may or may not know how to handle it all. You may or may not believe it, but you are suffering from a mental health illness. This does not mean something is wrong with you, nor does it have to be permanent. This does not mean you have to be on medication either. Maybe you have been overwhelmed by work and/or family matters. Sometimes all you need to do is let it all out—whether it be through therapy or doing an activity you love. I understand, and I am here to help you understand as well.

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Chapter 1

IT IS POSSIBLE

HOW THE BRAIN WORKS INTERESTS me. You can say all the mean things, go through so many repeated traumatic experiences, and learn so many negative ways of coping, that once they are gone, the negative coping skills become bad habits. Bad habits are patterns of negative behavior. The habits become second nature. Once you try to stop those bad habits, it almost feels impossible to change. However, it is possible. Getting help and learning to cope is possible. It is going to take work, and it will not be fixed in one day, but it is not impossible. Remember this: getting help has no age limit, and it is never too late to get help. Do not be ashamed of how old you are or when you decided to go get the help. What is important is getting the help you need. Many times, we are told we are ugly, we are incapable, and we are forced to believe we are not worth it. However, I am here to tell you that you are worth it. You are worth more than you believe. I know you are tired of hearing people say, Don’t listen to them. I was too. How can you believe you are worthy when everyone is telling you that you are not? How can you not believe them when you hear it everywhere you go? Here is the answer: you are the creator of your worth. Sometimes you may feel insecure and lonely. You feel like you have no one to turn to and that no one cares. Here is a question to think about. If you did not have anyone, how do you think you would feel? For many, the answer might be worthless. I know I felt like that.

Have you ever thought that the people who say negative things about you feel intimidated by you, and the easiest way for them to cope is by putting you down? Your response to that question is probably no. When people tell you negative things, remember this: what they say has nothing to do with you. What they tell you is not the truth. The reason is because those people do not make your worth—you do! Some of you are probably asking, What if those people are family? They pick on you, tell you things day and night, and you cannot leave. I have been there. I felt stuck. I felt like nobody. I felt like the black sheep of the family. However, I am here. I am writing this. I got through it, and so can you! I cannot guarantee that it will be easy, but you can get through it.

Many believe that being beaten, yelled at, or being put down are small problems, and they do not believe that they can cause mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is caused by incidents or events that leave trauma on someone later in life. Many believe PTSD is only acceptable if you had a weapon pointed to your head, you were hurt, you were in a bad accident, and/or you watched a loved one die in front of you. Those are some ways one can develop PTSD, but they are not the only ways. PTSD can come from bullying, physical and emotional abuse, or any incident that leaves anyone with trauma. Anyone can suffer from mental