It’s Just A Phase

My life, since I was about thirteen, has been made up of teenage phases that were supposed to pass over time, but never have. During the confusing years of puberty I discovered that I was bisexual. I wanted to feel the touch of a girls lips just as badly as a boys. I wondered what It would be like to run my hands across a boys hardened chest. I wondered what it would be like to circle a girls forming breasts. I had secret crushes hidden in the back of my mind related to both genders. After I finally accepted it, I subtly hinted to my parents that I was bisexual for a few months until they got the hint and asked me about it. The first thing that bothered me was the way they confronted me. My mother asked, “Do you THINK you’re bisexual?” She didn’t ask if I was, she asked if I THOUGHT I was. I told her that yes, I was bisexual and my parents continued the conversation by assuring me that it was only a phase, I was too young to know what I was feeling, and that I should keep those thoughts to myself and only to myself until I grew out of them. I never did grow out of them. The second thing that bothers me is that even now, years later, in my twenties, they are still in denial. I have had my current boyfriend in my life for the past four years and plan to be together for the rest of our lives but that doesn’t change the fact that I am bisexual. I am open with my friends about my bisexuality and openly share such things on my Facebook as well. Still, However, my parents are certain that its “Just A Phase.”
According to my family, depression is just a phase as well. My sleepless nights and darkened days will all pass in a matter of time. Isn’t eight years long enough? I was diagnosed with depression around the time of puberty as well. The raging hormones and bisexual confusion caused a lot of stress on me. Then on top of that I had been “the other girl” in a relationship with a guy who was much older than me and when I backed out, out of guilt, things didn’t go too well. The force and abuse from him brought back a flood of memories of my Rape from when I was a child and it continues to haunt me today. Along with the stress and depression came eating disorders and self harm, and although I no longer fear the thought of consuming food, I am still an avid cutter. But my parents no longer worry,because that was all “Just A Phase” that passed long ago.
To the parents:
Before you write off your childs difficulties as a phase that will pass with time, know that some “phases” are permanent.