“I was diagnosed with anxiety in February 2020. Having anxiety is a big thing to me as it’s affected me and my life in many ways, but it hasn’t stopped me from working towards my dreams or living my life to the fullest.
Having anxiety can get quite tough. When in high school, I was getting bullied multiple times by several boys in my year, calling me names, calling me fat. That upset me a hell of a lot and it made me never want to come into school, I just couldn’t face it. I had several panic attacks every morning before school and I always felt sick, just thinking about going in. My school never helped me or understood my anxiety in anyway, they forced me to do things that my anxiety was telling me I wasn’t ready for which made things worse. I’m now in College and I felt happy and comfortable there to begin with but now, it just feels the same as high school. I feel like my teacher just doesn’t have a clue about anxiety or mental health. I told them that at times, I need to take some time off to look after myself, everyone does. But they just weren’t having it. They tried to force me into coming into College and I just couldn’t face it. I have a lot going on at home involving my parents possibly getting a divorce and just thinking about that is making me very upset and anxious about going to College. I just don’t feel up to it yet and I think that when people are feeling anxious or anything like that, they should take things one step at a time and that’s what I’m doing. As I take one step at a time, I’m also helping to motivate myself back into going to College and doing other things. I think that schools and places of education should talk and teach students more about mental health and what it’s like.
I deal with my anxiety in quite a fe
w ways. I have been using a couple of apps on my phone which both my doctor and my friend suggested to me to use. One’s called Headspace and the other is called Rootd. They are both fantastic apps and I’m so grateful to them both for suggesting them to me and I definitely recommend them to anyone who suffers with anxiety or any mental health issues. When having anxiety, I obviously do get panic attacks at times and the way I deal with them is by using those apps to help calm myself down and to take deep breaths which also help me to calm down too.
Mental health is a big thing. It’s not a joke, it’s not something to laugh about. A lot of people are fighting their own battles you know nothing about. Everyone deserves to take time off from time to time and focus on their self care and that’s normal. Be you, love yourself and never change because everyone’s amazing the way they are.”
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