Knowing when to reach out for help with anxiety can be hard. I’m sharing my story here to encourage you to take the plunge, and to show you it can get better.
Anxiety has been a part of my life since sixth form. It came with scary symptoms: heart palpitations, headaches, and more. They slowly started to control my life.
I spoke to a councillor for a few sessions weekly who helped me to manage my symptoms. She gave me lots of tips and techniques to manage symptoms, such as breathing exercises and my anxiety was definitely manageable. That was until I got to university…
Dont get me I was happy, and I had made the best friends of my life, but my mind couldn't stop whirring with anxiety. The “fun” bits of uni like alcohol and clubbing made me so anxious that I had to stop, coming up with excuses not to go every time.
I was planning to just carry on like this until I had my first panic attack, and I finally decided to do something about this.
Over the Christmas break, I called my GP. They were very understanding and sympathetic, something I was nervous wouldn’t be the case. They prescribed me an antidepressant called Sertraline, which increases the amount of serotonin (the happy chemical) in your brain. I was nervous at first, as I didn’t want my personality to change, but I now know it was the best decision of my life.
I am honestly so much happier now. I was excited to come back after Christmas, I can enjoy socialising and going out again, and I can relax. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a part of me that gets anxious, but I don’t get those scary physical symptoms anymore. My life has changed so much because of one tiny pill.
I’m not saying that medication is the route for everyone because it’s definitely not, and I would like to stress that I’m not medically trained. But I want to show people currently struggling with anxiety that it can get better, whether that’s through just talking to someone or medication.
The first step is always hard, but it doesn’t have to be something as ‘daunting’ as telling your GP. It can be as simple as speaking to someone you trust.
I’d like to start an online platform for people who are passionate about mental health and making a difference, please email me if you’re interested: ehopwood1@sheffield.ac.uk
Edited by Tia Xiourouppas
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