Dom McLennon, member of the Texas based art collective Brockhampton, has shared an open letter describing his struggles with self-harm, as Reddit points out.
McLennon writes that he was inspired to share the letter after meeting a fan following a Brockhampton show in Eugene, Oregon. "[She] told me that she appreciated my candid honesty about self-harm on some of the songs on our Saturation project, specifically 'TRIP'. As I heard her out, I could tell this was something she was still enduring and trying to navigate in the same ways I did."
Security and a line of fans forced them to end the conversation early, and McLennon was unable to locate her after the meet-and-greet. "I guess the reason I’m writing this letter is because if you ever do get the chance to stumble upon this, I want you to know what I wish somebody told me when I was going through my deepest darkest times with body dysmorphia and self-harm.
You are loved.
You are not alone."
His own struggles with self-harm were not obvious, McLennon admits. "On the surface level, I probably looked like an apathetic asshole who didn’t care for anybody’s issues, but I was really screaming behind scars and scabs that were so hardened you couldn’t see the raw skin beneath it."
McLennon reveals that he hasn't self-harmed in four years. And while he hasn't fully recovered, he credits his fans for his progress. "My social anxiety is worse than ever, but I feel brave and strong enough to face it knowing that the people who support me love me as I am."
The letter concludes with a link to a free and anonymous chat room called What Will We Be?. McLennon describes the site on Twitter as "a place for you to vent."
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24 hours, 7 days a week for providing support: 1 (800) 273-8255
