That plea in the last few lines to be patient, that got to me. I relate to this so much, and there are so many elements and reasons why, if only people would understand it's much more complex than simply stopping. Even if someone can't know what it is like, compassion is always a must, especially since there is often a great deal of shame regarding this. It becomes a way to regulate emotions, albeit unhealthily, when there may not be ways to express that. Or one may simply not know how to do so in a better way...

Well-penned, and welcome to the site!