Before and After RYL

[SugarWhite]

I've been an RYL member for nearly 14 years (despite the join date on this particular account). Memories have come rushing back at me the past few days and I was wondering, what were you all like at the beginning or just before RYL vs the present? For me below:
Before
I was just out of university and starting to develop my career. I was trying to leave SH in the past but that wasn't happening yet, despite being a supposed adult. Friends came and went. Close friends from university days had gone their own ways and very quickly begun starting families. The stress of my first job out of school was eating me alive until I had a minor breakdown and ended up living off my savings and a part-time less stressful job. The rest of the time I spent on ruin, then later recoveryourlife. I went out occasionally with the few people who were mentally unsound enough to suit me as friends, but I was mostly here until I pulled things back together a bit.

After
I'm not here much anymore. My career is in a solid place but there are still other paths I want to explore. I'm happily married and care very little about having a social life. A quiet life at home is nice. The career is still stressful at times. Life is still stressful and the older I get the more stress seems to come my way. SH just no longer gets to play a part. I don't have room for it. I've got more important things to worry about. I learned better how to deal with my mental issues. I'm still ill. I just know by now that I'll get through those moments when it takes control. I come to RYL and memories come back, some good and some bad. It's okay to let those memories come back and then to deal with them.

Anyone else want to share?

[Crysainta]

My story is strikingly similar to yours. Can't imagine why.

[Sooty]

Before

I was 15 years old in the first year of doing GCSEs, no friends at school, dancing was my only love in life. Living at home with my clueless parents.

After

I did my GCSEs, A levels, went to uni and scraped my degree despite having a massive break down while at uni, got married and am still happily married, bought a house. Mental health problems have come and gone and come again. So much has happened in the last 11 years it's hard to compare really.

Sophie.x