I really need some good advice. PLEASE!

I am 17 years old. I was 15, and a Sophmore in high school when hurricane Katrina hit. I lived in St. Bernard Prish, the little community right outside of New Orleans. I went to countless different schools. I've been at this school I am now in sice last year. I have a great boyfriend, in fact he just proposed not long ago. He understands because he is from st bernard also...

But I am constantly crying, I've been cutting since Katrina.. I have stopped for about 6 months, but graduation is nearing, and everything is making me cry. I won't graduate with any of my friends and my senior year is the worst senior year I cou;d eer imagined. This hrricane still haunts me and I only have 5 weeks of school left. I always thought I would be so happy, but I cry myself to sleep every night. Is there something wrong with me or am I normal?

I have been to so many therapists, but nothing works...

Honestly, it sounds to me that you are going through post tramatic stress.

Therapy is a good option, but you also need to find closure in your old town and with your old friends.

You can try calling some of them or even writing them.

Drastic changes in life are hard enough on people, but when it occurs from drastic measures such as Katrina then there is no closure. When left pushed under the rug it allows more problems to occur.

Go visit the old neighborhood and talk to some of the old neighbors. Visit friends that were once there. Try catching up with everyone and see how they are doing.

Even if all of you cannot walk across the stage together you can still graduate together. Have your own little ceremony and graduation party.

Then say good-bye to the past and make plans for your future. Plan on colleges and what not. Apply for scholarships. Maybe some of you can attend the same college together.

These are just a few ideas. I hope they help.

~~Sher

I can see your pain even though this stuff happened to you you can learn from this rememeber people come and go ... thats the way life... just try to move on

You are perfectly normal
but by cutting
although at the time its like taking some of the pain
from inside and inflicting it on your body
in the long run all it
does is leaves scars that reminds you of the bad times