Testimonials

This is Andrea's Story.

I started to notice or acknowledge anxiety at the age of 17. Although anxiety can be exhibited in various ways, for me it was expressed through tremors or shaking in my hands and shortness of breath. I would also experience increased levels of panic or nervousness when thinking about situations in my life. I remember after applying for university in grade 12, I suffered my first anxiety attack. The paranoia of trying to keep my grades up and whether I would get accepted into a university triggered my anxiety. It felt like I ran a marathon from the way I was trying to stabilize my breathing. At first, I thought it was abnormal. I did not comprehend that my body could have such a physical reaction to anxiety. As I got older, I started to understand that people experience anxiety in various ways whether it is psychologically or physically. Growing up with no prior knowledge of severe anxiety, I did not know this. 

At the time, many factors were contributing to my anxiety attacks, the most significant being the stigma of anxiety in my culture. In high school, I was experiencing anxiety more often, and not being able to talk or communicate with anyone was making me feel very isolated. The fear of being seen as “weak” from anxiety or stress was preventing me from talking or opening up to someone. This fear caused me to become disconnected from personal relationships I had in my life such as family and friends. In my culture, anxiety was not acknowledged or viewed as a serious problem so this made me feel that it was not an important issue to focus on. 

Later on, I realized that mental wellness is a crucial part of maintaining a healthy and positive lifestyle. Hesitating from the fear of being judged was slowly making my anxiety worse thus prompting me to try and discuss it with someone. Although it was uncomfortable at first to be open with my family and friends regarding my anxiety, communicating with them was a great way to help cope. Eventually, I was comfortable enough because of the support I felt concerning my anxiety. 

The anxiety and stress made me alienated and distant but learning to be open to communicating with family and friends was the best decision I ever made for myself. At the same time, my anxiety was getting worse when I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at the age of 17. The most difficult part of this journey was the mental and emotional aspects of this condition. With hyperthyroidism, mood swings, anxiety and nervousness were more likely to occur which contributed to my increasingly intensified levels of anxiety. I was already anxious regarding the state of my health but the side effects of this condition were making my anxiety progressively harder. 

Before I started my treatment, it was tough to stay motivated and positive. I remember my anxiety getting so bad to the point that I was always paranoid whether my condition would get worse or better. I was more irritable as well and this caused me to avoid a lot of social gatherings. Thankfully, I had a support system (my family and friends) as one of my outlets. One of my friends who was experiencing severe anxiety suggested a method to calm my anxiety. The “5-4-3-2-1 method” which involves the 5 basic senses (touch, taste, smell, hear, see), was very effective in diminishing my anxiety. Another tactic I found that helped a lot with my anxiety during this time was daily affirmations. Waking up to a positive quote was a great tactic to make me feel more motivated and confident to start the day. For instance, “Never ruin a good day thinking about a bad yesterday”. This quote by Russell Simmons was very inspirational in the way that I interpreted it. Another method was exercising. Working out at least once or twice a week also helped with increasing my motivation. Trying to keep a healthy standard for myself also made me feel productive. Walking outside was a therapeutic way to calm my nerves as well. 30 minutes of walking in the park or hiking were surprisingly effective in decreasing my anxiety. With these tactics, coping with my anxiety and stress was becoming less difficult. 

For anyone that can relate to a part of my story, don’t be afraid to seek help. Finding someone to communicate with is a great tactic to relieve anxiety. Although it can be uncomfortable or awkward in the beginning, having someone there to talk with is great for support when you’re experiencing severe anxiety. I also wanted to mention that anxiety is not a sign of personal weakness. Although I felt the same, anxiety does not define your strength. It has been over 6 months since I suffered from an anxiety attack and I’d like to give credit to my family and friends as one of the biggest factors in helping me manage my anxiety.