Hello everyone! I just feel like sharing my personal story here. I just feel like talking about it and hope I can help some of you
My journey with anxiety started when I was about 16. I had my first panic attack at school, in math class (I hated it and I felt uncomfortable there). It was major. I was hyperventilating, felt like I could not breathe or swallow. I was basically on the teacher's chair, with the teacher next to me, in front of all the students, thinking I was going to die or something. It was a horrible experience.
That day, I went to the hospital and they told me it was just a panic attack and nothing to worry about. Nobody explained to me what it was exactly.
I became extremely scared that it would happen again and started to feel extremely anxious and panicky at school to the point where i stropped attending it for a few months. I became agoraphobic, could not get out of the house.
I was finally diagnosed with Generalized anxiety disorder and depression.
That summer, i worked really hard to get out of it, i had counselling, was getting out of the house one step at a time.
Next september, i started going back to school again. I was doing ok, had to go out of the classes a few times and missed quite a few days of school
My last year of high school was great though and I felt like I was finally 'cured' I started university at my hometown, met my boyfriend etc etc
But my bf was living 10 hours away from me so i wanted to move.
So I did it and went to college 10 hours away from home. And that's when things went bad.
Attending school was the worst for me. I was never comfortable attending school since the incident when i was 16. Taking the bus alone was hard, being in a big city, alone without my parents was scary. During that time i became hypochondriac after getting sick.
I became extremely depressed and anxious, my mom had to drive 10 hours short noticed to move me back because I was really not healthy mentally.
I was hospitalized, major hypochondriac. I had all the tests... MRI, CT, blood tests... I had crazy symptoms, some that I never thought I would have because of anxiety. It's still pretty hard for me to talk about that time when I was so unwell...
I did counselling with a new psychologist.. She helped me a lot.
Today I can say that I am 60% over agoraphobia. I can do errands, have a job, do my degree (online as I feel like I'm just not able to go to school) I still live at my parents but I'm planning to relocate with my boyfriend... it scares me a whole lot but I'm ready to try it again... I feel like I've learned a lot from my experience, my counselling and I have much more self confidence. One thing that is scary to me is to leave my mom. She was there the whole time and she's been my rock. But I still have to learn to rely on myself.
I'm over hypochondria... but i still have to talk to myself when I am sick because i have a tendency to jump to conclusion.
As for my anxiety, I feel like I'm more in control. I know it can't kill me and it is not dangerous
I still have my ups and downs but I know my boundaries and I listen to my body.
I still have a lot to do but I feel like I'm on the right track...
what helped me: exposure, therapy, psychologist, family, friends, boyfriend, myself, exercise, knowing myself, meditation, education about anxiety
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