This isn't some dark secret like I murdered someone or I am an undercover agent (that you know of). This is so I can finally be open about what I've struggled with in the past. I always felt ashamed but as I've gotten older I have realized we all have struggles and sharing them makes us stronger, not weaker.

My closest friends know this about me but most people don't. I am diagnosed with "severe anxiety," according to my therapist. I never admitted it even when I was going through the worst of it. In fourth grade I was diagnosed with "separation anxiety," only my family knew about that. I was embarrassed to tell my friends that I was seeing a therapist because I thought something was wrong with me. Of course, now I know nothing is "wrong" with me and there never was. Then it kind of faded away after a year and I went to middle school. In sixth grade I was diagnosed with "severe anxiety," and it was the worst year of my life. It got to the point where my therapist decided to pull me from school and put in me in home school because I was a danger to myself. I only told my friends I sat with what was going on because I had to, not because I wanted to. I was still embarrassed but I couldn't just disappear from school without them asking questions. Luckily I had the greatest friends who supported me and didn't judge me the way I thought they would. Fast forward to ninth grade, I hit another rough patch. I was back on medicine and going to a therapist weekly. Again, I didn't tell anyone because I felt alone and embarrassed. Now, as a college student it still effects me but I learn to deal with it.

I didn't share my secret to get pity, one reason I never told people about my anxiety is because I didn't want their pity. I wanted to tell people because I realize how powerful and important it is to share our stories with one another. I've found that when I tell people my story they often have a similar story to tell me in return. It allowed me to connect with people in a way that I couldn't when I was isolating myself by hiding. No matter what your story is, share it, because you matter and your story matters.