By Rhyan Lorenc ('26)
Sometimes I love harassing myself over things I’ve done in the past. This obsession I’ve had with my previous and minor mistakes has cost me so much, even someone I cherished more than anything on this planet. Having anxiety is one of the worst things a human could have. People with anxiety are constantly worried and continuously going over the many variables and different outcomes a certain situation could have, and like many others, this mental disorder has done so many things to hold me back. It’s taken me 20 years to finally face reality, I am finally seeing a therapist, I’m finally taking medicine to counteract these thoughts that I have on a regular basis. Do I look back and regret a lot of the things that happen? Yes, I do. Do I wish I could change the things that happened?? In a way, but I wouldn’t have gotten the help I required if I didn’t get the wake-up call I needed. I didn’t see that then, but I do see it now.
Anxiety, a disorder of the mind that sees a person have a constant feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. It’s something that plagues the world and many may not notice it, may not recognize it, but is truly a part of their lives. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in the United States. Over 40 million adults in the U.S. (19.1%) have an anxiety disorder. Meanwhile, approximately 7% of children aged 3-17 experience issues with anxiety each year. Most people develop symptoms before age 21.” To me anxiety is like that magical stuffed animal that you don’t remember getting that just shows up in your room one day. Or it’s that childhood toy that lies dormant in your basement until you dig it up one day. It’s something you don’t recognize at first, but more and more, events of life shape it more into reality, more into your peripheral vision.
There is not just one type of anxiety disorder, there are actually many anxiety disorders. Some of these include, but are not limited to; Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Panic Attacks, Separation anxiety disorder, and Substance/medication-induced anxiety disorder. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5- text revision (DSM 5-TR) “Anxiety disorders include disorders that share features of excessive fear and anxiety and related behavioral disturbances. Fear is the emotional response to real or perceived imminent threat, whereas anxiety is anticipation of future threat.” (pg.215) Anxiety is the fear of being embarrassed in public. Being away from a safe space that you can go to just to be yourself.
I am here to tell you, be yourself. Be your goofy, silly, crazy, annoying, chatty, emotional self. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be scared to be yourself, to go seek help. Criticizing yourself every now and then is ok, it helps build strength and pushes you to get better, but berating yourself constantly is not. Go, seek help, go find someone to talk to and someone who won’t judge you. Finding help and talking to someone has been the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, I feel so much better, both mentally and physically. There is a stigma in this world that going to talk to a therapist means you’re weak, no, it just means that you care for yourself, you care for your health. Help break the stigma around mental health. It is ok to not be ok. Let that resonate with you as you go about your day to day lives, through all the ups and downs of being a college student. Seek peace within yourself, trust me, and more importantly trust God, it helps more than you could ever imagine. ★
