Nausea, fatigue, chest pain, lack of interest, and so much more -- these were my symptoms. It all started around May, right before my Junior year prom, about two years ago. I was on prom committee, and I was stressed about making everything nuance of the event perfect for my classmates. When prom finally arrived I couldn’t eat or dance because I felt so sick. After prom when all my friends and I planned to camp out I had my first “anxiety attack”. I was terrified and had to be brought home at 2 o'clock in the morning by my boyfriend.

Reactively, I went to my doctor and was told that I may have gastrointestinal complications. Over the course of a year, I got an endoscopy, countless amounts of blood work, and more doctor's appointments than I could count. Turns out... it wasn't that. Everything came back physically normal. My doctor then gave me an unexpected diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. I set up to work with a psychologist, however, our sessions really didn’t provide me the help that I needed. She just taught me ways to calm anxiety attacks by doing breathing exercises and trying to distract myself with other things, which, let's be real, I never could do during the attacks. This clearly wasn't working too well. I saw a psychiatrist and was prescribed Zoloft.

It actually took me three weeks to build up the courage to finally take the pills. When I finally took it, I had a really bad reaction to it. It would worsen my anxiety, making me jittery and shaky. I eventually switched to a medication that fit perfectly for me, and I am still on it today.

So, now I’m back to square one with not knowing what to do to help myself with my anxiety. The compiled stress of college, school work, and everyday life took its toll on me. Through this experience, I have missed out on quite a lot. I have missed out on opportunities to hang out with my friends and attend family functions. On the other hand, I have learned a lot about myself. I now know what I can and cannot handle mentally and physically. I feel that in a way I have grown from what I have been through; grown from a naive kid where nothing mattered to an adult that is aware of everyday struggles. I have learned that I can handle the challenges which life throws my way. When I’m having a bad day I know that I can’t just sulk in bed all day. I need to get up and get dressed, take a few deep breaths, and go do something that calms me, such as going for a drive or spending time with my friends.

Forty million adults deal with anxiety on a daily basis, and now I am part of them. It brings me greater closure knowing that I am not the only one dealing with this. It is comforting to know that there are other people out there that are feeling the exact same thing as me. Some days are better than others, and I am learning along the way.