'Walking in the dark abyss of pain and anguish made me feel like there was no hope for survival and that it was not worth it to carry on.<br>I viewed love through a dark haze at times, and heartbreak embodied my life for many years; I took solace in drunken escapades with men and meaningless sexual experiences.<br>This is my story; this is my truth; this is the real, raw, emotional, passionate, ecstatic, painful, genuine tale of my life.<br>This is a tale of longing for so long when, if only I had held my head high and my shoulders upright, I would have realized it was me I was looking for in the mirror all along.'<br>Cat Hopes