Everyone copes with depression, anxiety, and overall struggles with mental health at one point or another, despite some who still choose to gloss over it, failing to acknowledge the gravity of this epidemic with the sense of urgency it implores. The triggers, the solutions, the coping mechanisms, the risks for subsequent abuse, and the best route of treatment will always vary from one person to the next. The most important factor in the equation and perhaps the only net positive of these struggles is to foster empathy amongst one another as one of the human condition’s darkest and most powerful battles wages on. My own issues and subsequent problems with substances have caused me to hurt some of the individuals I care about the most and to damage certain relationships beyond repair; if left unchecked, my entire life would have been left in ruins, and I would not be here to tell the tale.

We’ve all heard of “bi-polar”, but in this song I’m telling you about three different versions of the same person/their worldview dependent upon how that person was choosing to cope. That doesn’t make that person “tri-polar” however, let’s settle on “Try-Polar” instead. Empathize with that struggle, and try to walk in that person’s shoes from each vantage point. That person is me, and what ultimately works for me may not work with you, but compassion will always be universal, so exercise it, and most importantly: keep trying.