Hello! My name is Jeanette.
I am an anxiety survivor. I didn’t know I was suffering from anxiety until I was in my 30’s. I
remember being told I Had mental health issues. I was handed a prescription and sent on my way. I sobbed all the way home from the Dr’s office. I didn’t know how I was going to tell my husband. After all, I thought I would need to be put in a straight jacket and locked in a padded cell. I mean isn’t that how Hollywood portrays mental health? I got home and told my husband. He said everything will be alright.
Fast forward a few years…I hadn’t told my parents about my diagnosis because I felt ashamed. Can anyone relate? We were getting ready to celebrate my father’s birthday, and one of the worst panic attacks kicked in. I didn’t want anyone to know. I went into the bathroom and turned the blow dryer on, pretending I was blow drying my hair. My Mom could still hear me.
She demanded that I let her in. I did, and I had to tell her about my anxiety and panic attacks. We stood for what seemed like forever. There was a single tear that rolled down my mom’s cheek. She then said, “I was hoping it would skip you, kids!” I couldn’t believe it. Did she just tell me that she had anxiety too? Here my mom was in her 60’s and she had suffered in silence all this time. That really clarified a lot of things throughout my childhood. It was at that point that even though I am only one person, my voice needed to be heard. We need to stop the stigma that comes with mental health. Here I am sharing my story with all of you.