How has Anime or Manga helped you?

For me,
Anime and manga has helped me in so many ways. When I was younger about 15/16 year old I use to think anime was "Lame" and "Nerdy" because that's what a lot of my "friends" often told me. I went through a phase of trying to be something I wasn't, I was the nerdy passive girl I wanted to be popular like my friends and other girls I saw in school. So I changed my looks, I changed my hobbies my interests to seem more "appealing" and "likable". I wanted boys to like me so I changed my style, my clothing became shorter and tighter. Long story short I went down a rough road in life, traumatic things happened, completely lost, I felt helpless battled depression countless of times. But once I got back into Anime and Manga, Drawing art & getting back into my ways of getting interested in computers and all my nerdy ways things started to change (You can guess for the better!) I spent more alone time than I ever had in my life, but I didn't hate it. I learned so much about myself, I watched so much anime and could relate with so many characters, got lessons out of Anime & Manga I honestly would have never believed could happen when I was 15 years old.


Now after so many physiological Anime and manga I have read I have decided to major in Psychology to be able to help others like me, and hopefully lead them through that dark tunnel and bring them to light. I especially want to go to different schools over the U.S and talk about why mental health is so important and educate those uneducated about the topic so I can hopefully make a difference in schools, and everyday life for those who suffer from mental illnesses. Just to be able to help someone would make me so very happy. SO if anyone asks me "Do you watch Anime?" I will say with so much confidence "Fu**k yeah!"(づ￣ ³￣)づ

So how as Anime or Manga impacted your life? Did it help you over come what you were going through? What Anime or manga taught you a lesson? And Which Anime or Manga character did you relate the most with?