Jan 5th @ 12:57 a.m. – Letter from Australia

I found this letter today in my FB inbox.  It was no one I knew. But after reading it, I somehow felt inspired to share it.  The stories that I have gotten and continue to receive are truly wonderful to read (and even better to share).  I would love to compile some of them and make a e-book to share.  Here is the wonderful letter.  Thank you Matthew for allowing me to share it.

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My name is Matthew, i am 18 years old and i live in Australia. I heard about Amanda Todd through my friends and i saw a photo on instagram arguing that it is sick how people can make someone feel that bad, i completely agree.

I googled her and i gathered that she was a beautiful girl and that she didn’t deserve any of this. I hope they found the offender of the guy who tried to make her life unbearable and arrested him.

The significance of this between me and Amanda is when i was the same age as her, i was getting bullied too. People were awful to me and i didn’t know why.

Once i hit year 10 (Grade 10), things weren’t as bad, people left and things were a little bit easier. But then mum and dad realised that something was wrong. I was having abnormal thoughts and that i was really upset one night, worrying about whether people liked me or what they thought of me.

We went to the doctors, i was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, caused by bullying. I saw a psychologist for a few months, doing cognitive behavioural therapy, which didn’t work much for me, so in the end i went on anti depressants and saw the phychologist there who specialises in depression and anxiety, however one guy bullied me and i self harmed, the doctor argued that we needed to upper the dosage on the anti depressants because i wasn’t getting any relief from them.

So they started to help, but what was really going to help me was get out of school, The guy who bullied me got kicked out of the school due to accusations of him sexually harassing girls. This helped me as i wouldn’t need to put up with him anymore, but i did have to put up with exclusion and people being mean, rude and selfish.

I’m now graduated from school, i’m going to a business college this year for Information Technology for the year and hopefully going to uni next year or working full time, we’ll see..

I’m so sorry to hear about Amanda and if there is anything i can possibly do whether it’s supporting or just someone to talk to when things are tough, i’m more then happy to help. None of this was yours or her fathers fault, from what i’ve gathered, i honestly think you guys were great parents and watching the memorial service made my eyes water and has giving me the courage to support anti-bullying and to support you as i know this has been really hard for you and your family.

My support goes to all of you and your family!

Matthew