Not sure if this will help anyone struggling at the minute.. but certainly made me feel a bit more in control.. messaged an old school friend (male) who i knew suffered anxiety in the past and had counselling.. now recovered :-) this is what he had to say :
Welcome anytime. Easier to talk about it, then you know it's not just you who thinks the weight of the world is on your shoulders. I've had lots of messages from people, lots of folks our age struggling with the stresses of life. Definitely not alone. It can only make us stronger.
I convinced myself I was dying, was scared to leave the house. Looking back it's laughable. You really are what you think you are. Control the negative thoughts which are totally exaggerated and put in some new ones by writing them down and learning them like we did spellings at school. Sounds daft, but it's simple and an easy way to regain control. Don't believe those irrational thoughts. Write them down and decide how silly they are.
Hormones are a bugger! obviously I don't know what it feels like, but it's a challenge that I'm sure you can work out.
Don't bottle anything up. Always talk to someone.
Haha, I was the same! Trust me, it's ridiculous looking back at it.
I was so scared that "something bad was going to happen", just that single thought got me into a full blown panic attack!
So I wrote down all the bad things I could think of. Added stupid ones like getting attacked off dinosaurs, mad giraffes, tortoises.... Then it just clicked, I Realised that I could control my thoughts and that they didn't control me.
Took years to realise this, but it was a defining moment.
I'm never ashamed, you shouldn't be too. All you've been through and how hard you work. Be proud you can talk about it, being worried that someone finds out you had struggles with anxiety is nothing to worry about.
Definitely made me stronger, wiser and mentally aware.
