For the last six months I've been seeing a counselor. This isn't a secret, but it also isn't something I've been broadcasting all over the Internet. I've also been taking anxiety medication consistently for the last year. (I took it on and off in the two years previous). Again, not hidden, not broadcast.
Anxiety medication has taken the edge of my anxiety, but it hasn't fixed it. I still have bad days, and scary days. And then there are days where everything seems normal and I think about stopping my meds.
Counseling has down what medication couldn't. It has helped me get to the root of the problem. To understand where the fear is coming from. It has helped me handle panic, instead of just ignore it or give in to the physical symptoms.
Counseling has also helped me to be OK with so many things. It has been a life line.
I remember sitting in my counselor's office for the first time, and feeling so overwhelmed with anxiety that I almost couldn't speak, but also feeling so relieved that the burden was no longer just mine to carry.
If you're in a place in your life where you're looking for a little understanding, reach out and ask for help. There is no shame in mental illness, and there is no shame in asking for help. The load is heavy and it feels so good to let go.
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