“Anxiety is a daily battle, and in the past, anxiety has kept me from living my life to the fullest. Whether I’m having fun at a friends house or watching a basketball game with my school friends or shopping at the mall, my thoughts will often tell me that I’m in danger and I need to escape as soon as possible. My body takes over and it’s often nothing I can control because my body thinks it’s flight or fight time. Sometimes I even have panic attacks about being scared of having a panic attack. Ever since I was little, I didn’t like making a scene and I tried to cover up the chaos going on inside my head, but this has proven to make me feel so much worse. The best thing to do when I’m having a panic attack or anxiety is to call a friend/family member or even go as far as making sure that I have another person present with me so that I’m not physically alone. Even just someone giving me a hug helps me feel more comforted. Sometimes it’s helpful to do something to get my mind off of the worries that shouldn’t be occupying my headspace by painting, drawing, or reading my Bible. The best advice I could give to someone else struggling would be to remind yourself the truth about your life or have other people speak truth into you that you’ll forget. For people that are struggling, never be embarrassed about your anxieties. Talk to someone that struggles with similar things so that you can both feel less alone. I also see a counselor and that has helped me to talk to someone outside of my life with an unbiased perspective. I know that anxiety is a lifelong battle but there are so many healthy ways to cope with it!”