Hello, my name is Corina, I’m 22. I have recently become very aware of my mental health situation, and it’s been a struggle. I am writing this blog in hopes of finding a release within a writer’s community. I love to write, and I think this could be therapeutic for me. Hopefully, I will be able to be there for others along the way.

I grew up with a psych nurse. I was and still am constantly aware of and learning about a lot of things in the medical world. Because of this I try my hardest to be empathetic and sympathetic towards others mental and physical health. Except through that I forgot about myself.

My friends always came to me with everything. I loved being a person they trusted and could talk to. I have been a caregiver for almost a year and I’m passionate about it. Having grown up with my mother I watched her care for thousands of people and always say that she loves what she does. She came home after getting her ass handed to her by a patient or after hearing a horrible back story, and she always carries herself back. She always strives to give the best she can to others. I want to be just like her and that’s why I’m going to school to be a RN. I just didn’t realize how important self-care was going to be to be able to do that.

I have always been a “worry wart”. I ask a million questions. I’ve never really lived in the moment. I’m constantly scared of the consequences of my actions. I think the worst and because of that I self-sabotage everything. I am experiencing horrible burnout and it breaks my heart. I can’t get out of bed. I find no joy in anything anymore.

My boyfriend and my best friend are worried because they have both been through this. They also know how stubborn I am. However, I have been going to counseling, but I can’t shake the constant anxiety and depression. They pushed me to talk about medication and that is where I am. I know they are right, though. I don’t have a good grip on things and they just care about and love me.

I have my medication consultation today, and I’m very nervous.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.

Why do this?

• Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
• Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.

The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.

To help you get started, here are a few questions:

• Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
• What topics do you think you’ll write about?
• Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
• If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?

You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.

Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.

When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.