I was abused as a child and I’m now 18 years old and living on my own without any family contact, or any contact socially at all. I regularly see my doctor and therapist and I’m on medication and trying my best to lead as best of a life as I can. I’m not fit to work due to my mental health which has been affected quite deeply by my past. I also suffer from a stammer which is also a huge knock on my self esteem and confidence.

Basically, I’m writing to you to ask…how the hell do I move on with my life? How do I meet people? How do I begin to get over my stammer and be able to look people in the eyes and just own my shit as well as not give one? I know you can’t solve my problems for me or cure me over night, just some direction and advice would be great.

Love you and what you do and you honestly inspire me to make something out of my life and put all of this shit behind me.

Who says you’re not fit to work? You clearly have a sharp mind. Shit, you write with more grace and composure than most of the eighteen year old fuckwits who whine at me about their freshman roommates.

Unless you’re not telling me that somehow you’re a danger to society, get the fuck out there and do something with your day. Come on, you’re a teenager. Get a job at the mall.

Have your doctor and/or therapist write you a letter of recommendation. Other than that, all you need is a high school diploma, and if you don’t have one then fuck it, just lie on the application. Nobody cares.

If you’re on some sort of government aid as a result of your situation, and that’s what’s preventing you from being able to get a paying job, then go do volunteer work instead. Do whatever it takes to get out there and socialize.

Now, I don’t know the pathology of your stammer, so I don’t know what you’re up against there, but I do know that looking people in the eyes and owning your shit doesn’t take a single word.

Fix the stammer in whatever time it takes, but you don’t have to wait on the self esteem and confidence. You’ve earned the right to hold your head up high just by making it to the other side of all that horrible shit, and never forget, no one of substance will ever think you’re a lesser person because of it.