I have been living with a monster inside of me since I was six years old. The monster's name? Anxiety. Anxiety has been ruling my life for 13 years. It makes everyday tasks impossible to complete. There are good days and bad days. When the bad days come, they hit like a train.

Anxiety feels like you are constantly drowning and no one can help you. Even on good days, the water is almost taking over. Anxiety feels like a spinning room, a pounding heart, shaking hands, struggling to breathe, and shaking legs. Anxiety makes you overthink everything. Your boyfriend isn't responding to you? He must be out cheating on you. The test you studied three hours for? Three hours wasn't enough I am going to fail. Your friend cancelled plans on you? They must hate you. Deep down, you know these thoughts are irrational, but anxiety keeps telling you they must be true.

Panic attacks are the worst things in the world. I would not wish one on my worst enemy. You feel as though you have lost control of your body. Shaking, hyperventilating, crying, unconsolable. You are convinced that this will be the panic attack you will not be able to come out of. But, each panic attack you come out of. Whether the panic attack lasts two minutes or 30, they take a toll on you.

The worst part about suffering from Anxiety are the people who don't believe you. The people who say you are faking it. The ones who say you are overreacting, you're a drama queen. People who don't suffer anxiety themselves do not understand. They don't understand the voice in your head constantly telling you to worry about this and that, to stay in bed all day, to not go to the party because something bad might happen.

The key to living with Anxiety is to surround yourself with people who understand, who get it. Anxiety is not glamorous. It is the exact opposite. For those of you struggling with Anxiety, keep fighting this monster. Keep proving this monster wrong. One day we will slay this dragon together.