The following blog posts are written by people with personal experience of anxiety. By talking openly, our bloggers hope to increase understanding around mental health, break stereotypes and take the taboo out of something that – like physical health – affects us all.
Anxiety disorders: blogs and stories
What's wrong with me? The most reoccurring question of my life so far. From an early age I always felt different and isolated. As early as primary school I can remember the daunting feeling I would get when asked a question in class. I would turn bright red and have thoughts running through my head saying "everyone will laugh" and "you look so stupid".
My experiences with mental health began at a fairly young age. At thirteen, I had been suffering in silence at the hands of bullies since high school began. I then experienced my first real loss when a close relative, who was very much like a sibling to me passed away. The difficulties in coping and not knowing how to respond led me to habitual fantasizing and self-harm.
To begin, I’d like to ask you a question. What does mental health look like? Truth is nobody can answer that. Did you know that 1 in 4 people experience mental difficulty during their lives? Look around you – think of your housemates. Think of your family. In a lecture full of people, how many are suffering? It’s impossible to tell.Need support?
If you need support, there are organisations who can help you.