Bravest yet! I had no idea it was such a struggle you had. For whatever it's worth, I remember how confident you always were when we were in high-school, that's how I remember you anyways. I'm so glad you're doing better, and all the more proud of how far you've come:)
I’m so grateful for you, Sam. You’ve helped me put things into perspective time and again, and my anxiety is much better because I have friends like you who support me. Thanks for always being there. ☺️
I love it all even though I’ve only skimmed it due to cute little bouncing Chiweenies and a more stupid, older Whoodle desperately wanting their yummy dinner. But I know this is a post i I will share with others, and it will teach me something new about my own crippling anxiety. The links, the pureness of your personal disclosure, makes me think perhaps we aren’t so alone. Although that is what these diseases do - separate you from all others, to keep you down in the shadows where the nightmares can grip you even during the wakeful hours.
Thank you for taking a look and for your willingness to share it… It was a super vulnerable post for me to write and I really appreciate your kind words. You’re not alone!!!
You have no idea how much this resonates. I'm quite similar in that I was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder at 14, and I had my first panic attack at 15, which I've had regularly since. It's funny because when I got diagnosed at 14, I scored very high with OCD on the test they gave me, but at the time I didn't think I had it, and I told the psychologist as much, so nothing ever came from it. At the time, my only understanding of OCD was the stereotypes you see in movies and media. Now for the last few years, I've strongly suspected I have it and have considered trying to get diagnosed. It took me so long to realise I've been dealing with obsessions and compulsions my entire life.
There's still such a stigma around so many things to do with mental health, so I applaud you for sharing!! It can definitely help other people to see their story reflected in someone else's. Loved reading this :) :)
Lilly! Thank you so much for your kind words and for opening up about your own experience. Because anxiety and OCD are often a package deal, I think OCD often gets lumped into anxiety diagnoses and left untreated. What's wild is I didn't receive the therapy that best lowered my anxiety until I received OCD-focused exposure response therapy! I'm hoping that posts and conversations about these mental illnesses can help adults with anxiety and parents of children with anxiety really research to find out what's actually going on. That way, people can get the help they actually need!
Thank you for sharing your story. It helps. It helps me. I’ve struggled with anxiety off and on for several years now. Done all the things - medication, therapy, etc. For quite a while I’ve been doing awesome despite a lot of stressors the past couple of years. Then, I take a trip abroad this last week and get an anxiety attack. Hadn’t had one in years so it was scary and still unsettling. Idk if you can relate with anxiety attacks but it’s like once you have one then a fear cycle of having another one can begin. :/ That’s where I’m at now, trying to push through. Thank you for sharing your story - neither you nor I are alone! 🩷
Thank you for sharing, Lindsey... I absolutely can relate, I feel like I'm constantly stuck in those anxious fear cycles. Getting out of them can be so tough. Exposure therapy for OCD is what's helped me the most, although of course nothing will get rid of ALL my anxiety. I make myself sit in the discomfort and the fear of the worst happening and accept it. It's so hard! I feel you!
Thank you so much… I especially appreciate that you gave it a read. I’ve been so encouraged by how many people are interested in learning more about what it’s like to live with anxiety and OCD. It reflects a desire to empathize with others that I’ve not found so much on other platforms. Love to see it! ☺️
You are very courageous to share. You are a very lovely soul. Your heart is open. You are extremely courageous to share. Your sharing will be helpful to both - those who are suffering and for their loved ones.
Thank you for sharing such an amazing and personal post. I also suffer with OCD and this truly made me feel less alone. I struggled BAD with post partum OCD and you are truly so right about it attacking the things you love the most.
:) You're not alone, Madisyn! And I've learned something new from you today - I didn't know one could get a spike in OCD post partum. Thanks for sharing. PS hope your little ones are doing well, feel free to message me anytime!
Thank you for sharing this, I know it probably wasn’t an easy thing to do. I related to so much of this post and it’s always nice to know that I’m not alone in battling my own anxiety and OCD. I’m so glad these conversations are being shared more and light is being shed on what it’s like to live with mental illness. Sending love to everyone else dealing with their own struggles <3
Thanks for giving it a read, Mallory. I so appreciate you and your authenticity in sharing that you deal with anxiety and OCD too! I'm hoping that when others read this post, they'll see such a community of love and support in the comments. You've certainly added to that. :)
I'm sure sharing this was not easy, but you described everything with such clarity. I had tears in my eyes, because I identified with the feelings you described. I inherited my anxiety and OCD from my mother and my grandmother, whether genetically or behaviorally. I remember the first moment when the meds (prozac in my case) kicked in and the relief began. It was as if my lungs opened up again, after being shut down for a few years of a nervous breakdown and depression. You found your way out of this too, learned to live with it, much like me, and I am hugging you from here, celebrating with you. I'm so glad there were kind people around you through the years, who walked this tough journey alongside you with patience and compassion. Thank you for writing this post and sharing this experience with the world.
Tali, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I’m smiling warmly at your words, and I completely relate - when I started taking medication, my entire quality of life changed. I am so grateful that I had positive supporters to uplift and push me forward; I know not everyone is so lucky and I hope to never take that for granted. Thank you again 💗
Thank you for writhing this. Those who also suffer will benefit from what you wrote.
Thank you, Nick… That means so much to me!
Bravest yet! I had no idea it was such a struggle you had. For whatever it's worth, I remember how confident you always were when we were in high-school, that's how I remember you anyways. I'm so glad you're doing better, and all the more proud of how far you've come:)
I’m so grateful for you, Sam. You’ve helped me put things into perspective time and again, and my anxiety is much better because I have friends like you who support me. Thanks for always being there. ☺️
Happy to help!! I could say the same to you:)
Emma, a brave post...an important post. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you are a good person with a heart of gold. - Jim
Jim, thank you! I appreciate you!
I love it all even though I’ve only skimmed it due to cute little bouncing Chiweenies and a more stupid, older Whoodle desperately wanting their yummy dinner. But I know this is a post i I will share with others, and it will teach me something new about my own crippling anxiety. The links, the pureness of your personal disclosure, makes me think perhaps we aren’t so alone. Although that is what these diseases do - separate you from all others, to keep you down in the shadows where the nightmares can grip you even during the wakeful hours.
Thank you. Again. ❤️
Thank you for taking a look and for your willingness to share it… It was a super vulnerable post for me to write and I really appreciate your kind words. You’re not alone!!!
You have no idea how much this resonates. I'm quite similar in that I was diagnosed with Generalised Anxiety Disorder at 14, and I had my first panic attack at 15, which I've had regularly since. It's funny because when I got diagnosed at 14, I scored very high with OCD on the test they gave me, but at the time I didn't think I had it, and I told the psychologist as much, so nothing ever came from it. At the time, my only understanding of OCD was the stereotypes you see in movies and media. Now for the last few years, I've strongly suspected I have it and have considered trying to get diagnosed. It took me so long to realise I've been dealing with obsessions and compulsions my entire life.
There's still such a stigma around so many things to do with mental health, so I applaud you for sharing!! It can definitely help other people to see their story reflected in someone else's. Loved reading this :) :)
Lilly! Thank you so much for your kind words and for opening up about your own experience. Because anxiety and OCD are often a package deal, I think OCD often gets lumped into anxiety diagnoses and left untreated. What's wild is I didn't receive the therapy that best lowered my anxiety until I received OCD-focused exposure response therapy! I'm hoping that posts and conversations about these mental illnesses can help adults with anxiety and parents of children with anxiety really research to find out what's actually going on. That way, people can get the help they actually need!
Thank you for sharing your story. It helps. It helps me. I’ve struggled with anxiety off and on for several years now. Done all the things - medication, therapy, etc. For quite a while I’ve been doing awesome despite a lot of stressors the past couple of years. Then, I take a trip abroad this last week and get an anxiety attack. Hadn’t had one in years so it was scary and still unsettling. Idk if you can relate with anxiety attacks but it’s like once you have one then a fear cycle of having another one can begin. :/ That’s where I’m at now, trying to push through. Thank you for sharing your story - neither you nor I are alone! 🩷
Thank you for sharing, Lindsey... I absolutely can relate, I feel like I'm constantly stuck in those anxious fear cycles. Getting out of them can be so tough. Exposure therapy for OCD is what's helped me the most, although of course nothing will get rid of ALL my anxiety. I make myself sit in the discomfort and the fear of the worst happening and accept it. It's so hard! I feel you!
It takes courage to talk about your difficulties - never mind write them and publish them to the world.
Glad you had the courage to do it.
Thank you so much… I especially appreciate that you gave it a read. I’ve been so encouraged by how many people are interested in learning more about what it’s like to live with anxiety and OCD. It reflects a desire to empathize with others that I’ve not found so much on other platforms. Love to see it! ☺️
You are very courageous to share. You are a very lovely soul. Your heart is open. You are extremely courageous to share. Your sharing will be helpful to both - those who are suffering and for their loved ones.
Thank you! I’m so grateful for your kind words!! ☺️
Thank you for sharing such an amazing and personal post. I also suffer with OCD and this truly made me feel less alone. I struggled BAD with post partum OCD and you are truly so right about it attacking the things you love the most.
:) You're not alone, Madisyn! And I've learned something new from you today - I didn't know one could get a spike in OCD post partum. Thanks for sharing. PS hope your little ones are doing well, feel free to message me anytime!
Thank you for sharing this, I know it probably wasn’t an easy thing to do. I related to so much of this post and it’s always nice to know that I’m not alone in battling my own anxiety and OCD. I’m so glad these conversations are being shared more and light is being shed on what it’s like to live with mental illness. Sending love to everyone else dealing with their own struggles <3
Thanks for giving it a read, Mallory. I so appreciate you and your authenticity in sharing that you deal with anxiety and OCD too! I'm hoping that when others read this post, they'll see such a community of love and support in the comments. You've certainly added to that. :)
I'm sure sharing this was not easy, but you described everything with such clarity. I had tears in my eyes, because I identified with the feelings you described. I inherited my anxiety and OCD from my mother and my grandmother, whether genetically or behaviorally. I remember the first moment when the meds (prozac in my case) kicked in and the relief began. It was as if my lungs opened up again, after being shut down for a few years of a nervous breakdown and depression. You found your way out of this too, learned to live with it, much like me, and I am hugging you from here, celebrating with you. I'm so glad there were kind people around you through the years, who walked this tough journey alongside you with patience and compassion. Thank you for writing this post and sharing this experience with the world.
Tali, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I’m smiling warmly at your words, and I completely relate - when I started taking medication, my entire quality of life changed. I am so grateful that I had positive supporters to uplift and push me forward; I know not everyone is so lucky and I hope to never take that for granted. Thank you again 💗
You are most welcome, my friend. X