Have you ever felt something, something you aren't sure what it is but it’s there, lurking over your head? This is what I experienced after my near fatal rollover car accident with my brother.

It’s the feeling where I just knew something was going to happen similar to my wreck, and it would end badly. I would dream of it, think of it sitting in the car, and the thought would be in the back of my head any time of day.

I don't remember how I came to learn what I was feeling was called, whether talking to my physician or counselor. I learned what I was feeling was called anxiety.

Anxiety. Did this mean I was crazy, going crazy or was something wrong with me? Honestly, I didn't know what to think of what the conclusion was. I knew I was more than nervous to get in a car, even if I wasn't driving, cars freaked me out.

I also knew I could envision the wreck happen at any time. It was so graphic and visual. Here I was, a name to what I was feeling, and someone to help me get through it.

I had nightmares, night terrors more like it, which filled my nights with screams, panic, crying and bad dreams of the wreck. I was more than afraid to fall asleep, scared of what I would see when I closed my eyes. Anxiety.

I began experiencing times of panic when I would be sitting, trying to relax, and nothing would be happening around me. I would freak out about my school work, homework assignments (due soon or even far away), not seeing my family, you name it.

I'm not sure what it was, but I just was uneasy about everything. Riding in a car seemed nearly impossible. I didn't want to continue my classes because I wasn't sure how I would do. So, I went to my physician seeking help.

I started taking something to help me sleep, which took away the night terrors and dreams, and I slept like a rock. I also visited with a counselor once a week. We talked about what I was feeling, how my week was, how school was going, how my brother was. I kept my conversation light. I learned talking about how I was feeling, what I was dreaming, kept my sense of panic and anxiety down more and more often. There was something about getting the emotions I was experiencing off my chest making me feel at ease.

It became clear to me, I needed to be around people who were encouraging me, helping me through my tough time, there to talk to and who understood there would be bad days.

I had friends who invested time in me, making sure I was taken care of, had my school work ready for the next day, and treated me no different. I learned who my true friends were because they were the ones sticking by me through the tough times, when I needed them the most.

My professors encouraged me to stay involved and interact as much as I could, since this would keep me focused on something other than what was going on.

This seemed to help calm me down. When I had an outside activity to focus my time and energy on, I became less anxious and focused on it.

The more I talked about what I was feeling on the inside, the consuming thoughts or dreams, anything which held me captive from the outside world, I felt a release from the captivity everything had on me.

I became more aware of how talking about something or expressing my feelings made me feel free, free from anxiety or panic. The longer I met with the counselor, I learned what I was feeling or thinking about was normal.

I worked through the aspects which made me nervous. I had to convince myself what I was feeling was in my head, it wasn't real, and I going to be okay. I wasn't abnormal or weird. I was me, the new me. I dealt with things differently and my thought process wasn't the same. I become more comfortable discussing with people what I had been through, what I was feeling, what I needed. This made me aware of the fact I was getting better. Working through my triggers, talking myself through them, is how I overcame them and learned to be in the world with them. I was able to ride in cars, without getting sick or having to sleep, I could talk about things I couldn't before, and I was starting to be the “me” I was before.

Anxiety is something many people struggle with, some don't even know they have it. I am fortunate to have a counselor who helped me overcome the feelings I was experiencing a few months ago. I was taught how to cope with everything, calm myself down in midst of an anxious or chaotic situation, and talk through my experiences. I have an amazing support group made of my family, friends, and professors who have been behind me through this journey. I worked through anxiety by talking to a professional, surrounding myself with only supportive and encouraging people, and believing I could get past this.