First of all I'd like to thank everyone for sharing their stories here.

My mother emotionally neglected me. She was very open about that she didn't want to have kids and it showed. She never was home and my stepfather was an attorney so he too was never home. I grew up thinking that eating your supper alone on your bedroom was a normal thing. It was kind of a shocker for me to eventually find out that many things in my life actually weren't normal. This made me struggle with everyday things in life that seemed normal to everyone else. I developed a severe social phobia and got really depressed. I decided to contact a sort of school doctor en she diagnosed me with depression too. I eventually found the courage to tell my mum. She laughed, told me that I made her depressed and that was that. That was the last time I ever trusted her. I was forced to accept that I just wouldn't have a mother figure like in the movies.

Things got better when I met my best friend Lucas. Lucas was great. He was the first person with whom I had a deep connection and who made me feel that he understands me. I started to trust again. He committed suicide in March '13. I was alone again. This made me mature even more rapidly.

Fast forward two years and I'm doing better. I had to put my whole life (and study) on hold for a year or so to undergo intensive psychiatric treatment. That helped a lot. Unfortunately I still have difficulties with friendships, trust and self-esteem. I can live with it now, but I still can't help but feel the wish that I grew up less quickly. It gets better, it really does, but I have to admit I'm still struggling daily.