“I’m Max, I’m fourteen, and sometimes things just get too overwhelming. When I was little, a lot of scary stuff happened—stuff I didn’t understand, and it left me feeling like things would never be okay. Now, when things feel out of control, hurting myself feels like a way to make the noise stop, even just for a minute. I know it’s not good, but in those moments, it’s hard to remember that.

I’m working on finding other ways to cope, though. I have a few people who know and don’t judge, which helps. It’s not easy, but I’m trying to get through it without going back to that place.”