Staying silent may not mean that they are fine
Hi, my name is Sandra*. I am 19 years old this year and have been suffering from anxiety disorder for the past 6 years.
One of my hardest experiences living with this condition, is when I get overly anxious and have anxiety attacks. It feels terrible to be experiencing these attacks. They come as symptoms such as breaking out in cold sweat and breathlessness. The medication that the doctor prescribed helps but I would still need to depend on myself to overcome these symptoms though they may be overwhelming at times. Whenever this happens, it’s hard to continue doing anything as everything in my mind becomes a mess, leading me to break down easily.
The people around me are often unable to help me as they are not in my position to understand what I am going through. There were times in school when my anxiety acted up and I felt the need to hide it as I did not want my classmates to notice. It was suffocating because the symptoms were there and I could do nothing about it, but could only cover it up.
Often, I would try to sleep my problems away, or keep to myself without any interaction with others. However, I realized that these were not effective coping methods to manage the anxieties I face. I also discovered that watching videos keeps me busy from thinking negatively and is an effective way for me to cope. My psychologist has taught me breathing techniques that I would use to calm myself down whenever I face panic attacks. I would also speak to my close friends and family about my problems. These are the people who have encouraged me to seek professional help.
Living with a mental health condition is tough and challenging, as many people do not understand it. Being able to live every day is a challenge. For those facing mental health conditions, it is brave of you to be able to get by every day. Remember, you are not alone and your condition does not define you.
Now that you have read my story, how would you see us differently?
*Name has been changed to protect the privacy of the individual. This photo does not belong to the individual stated in this story.
