anxiety and panic

When I was in high school, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. I had panic attacks for the next 8 or so years of my life. If you don't know what a panic attack feels like, imagine not having control of your breathing, your heart rate, or anything else around you. Having no control = panic.

I don't share this with you to go into great detail about my experience. I did that in a post here: http://survivingbythegraceofgod.blogspot.com/2012/04/debilitating-anxiety.html (I'm not sure if that'll create a link, you might have to copy and paste - sorry!) (Truth is that I don't want to spend any more time trying to figure it out - I'm tired!)

I bring it up today because I was reminded in a conversation with a dear friend the other day, how lonely it can be to have an emotional or mental disorder. These things are still not talked about very openly. We are ashamed. Ashamed to show the world that we are not strong, that we don't have our act together. 

I don't know what you are dealing with, dear one, but you are not alone. When I bring my anxiety disorder up in conversation, so many women open up and share that they have had the same, or depression, or post-partum depression, or some emotional disorder that is difficult to deal with on your own. 

But if you never meet anyone else who has had to deal with the unfair feelings of an emotional disorder, just know that I have and you are not alone. 

KC