Fact: six out of ten college women have admitted to feeling so stressed with schoolwork at at least one time that they could not get their work done. Fact: half of all college students have suicidal thoughts. Fact: 57 percent of female college attendees have reported moderate to severe anxiety. Fact: According to these statistics, you or someone you know most likely has anxiety.
As I got older, my anxiety got progressively worse, as did my outlook on life. Like most women my age, it took literal months to find the courage to ask my mom, and then my doctor, what was happening to the silly, confident person I used to be. After the initial visit, and the constant reminders from my mom that this was incredibly common in people my age, it still took me around a year to realize how common it actually is. Once I accepted it, I began to find more and more people like me, who also knew how to work it into something that can be taken as either a positive or negative. All of the interviewees that are mentioned below currently are struggling with anxiety but they have never let it define them. In fact, they all have their own ways of dealing with it.
Morgan Grahek, a student at the University of Kansas, has had anxiety since she was 15. “…I began to have panic attacks on a regular basis. I would get so stressed about school and trying to be the best that I would completely freak out.” Sarah Kramer, a fellow Her Campus writer, was 20 when she was diagnosed, and states that she eventually just figured it out for herself. Both girls say they knew something was different, but could not figure out what exactly it was. “At first I felt that all people dealt with it, but it wasn’t something that should be openly discussed. It wasn’t until I began to go to regular counseling that it wasn’t just a normal issue everyone had and that I had something larger to deal with,” Grahek claims. Once both of the girls admitted to themselves that there was in fact an issue that needed to be dealt with, seeking help through talking to family members was the next reasonable step. After that, figuring out what does and doesn’t work to suppress the symptoms of anxiety for each of the girls. Kramer says her favorite way to work through it is “going to therapy was a very, VERY helpful way to cope with it, and I definitely recommend it. I ended up making so much progress that my therapist told me that I could stop my sessions, and that was so helpful. Just the knowledge that if I ever feel that anxious again, I can go back and continue therapy puts me at ease. Besides that, I do my best to occupy myself because I really love being busy and it helps me forget about my anxiety.” Grahek, on the other hand, says “There are several different ways that I learn to cope with my anxiety. I use a lot of deep breathing exercises and listen to soothing music. However, my main outlet is running. Running gives me the best feeling in the world and allows me to focus on other things rather than my own anxiety. It controls my breathing and is a healthy way to release all my emotions.”
Lastly, I asked the girls if they had any advice for people that may be struggling with accepting their anxiety:
“Please seek help! There are tons of really amazing resources on campus like CAPS, the counseling service at Watkins, that are very affordable! One of my biggest fears was that I would have a therapist who would be insistent on medication, and that didn’t happen, but that’s always an option if it’s something you are interested in exploring. Anxiety affects everyone differently and everyone is going to respond to treatment differently, so don’t give up! Talk about it with your friends and family and help them understand what you’re going through. Anxiety is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, and there’s no use in going through life feeling like this. Help is out there!” -Sarah Kramer
“People who struggle with anxiety should know that they are not alone and that there are more people out there who deal with the same issues. They also should be open to tell others about it and be able to go to others if they are struggling especially during difficult times.” -Morgan Grahek
“People that currently are struggling with anxiety and/or depression should know that they are not alone! Honestly I believe that if you never get stressed out or have a time where you are growing up and never get depressed then that isn’t normal. Everyone grows up and goes through changes. Life can be hard, not everything is perfect. There will be ups and downs, especially when you are maturing and your body is changing, things can be difficult. I especially think women; in today’s society there is so much pressure for women to be “perfect”. That definitely does not help either. Another thing people should know is that it is okay to accept that you have anxiety/depression! It honestly helps if you just accept it and get assistance/support. Know that there are people out there going through the same thing, and that you can get help.” -Anonymous
Having anxiety does not mean you are weak. Becoming so stressed you feel like you can’t actually take hold of your life is more common than society lets on. Never forget, admitting you can’t handle everything on your own does not make you flawed, it just makes you human.
Read Sarah Kramer’s Story here: Anxiety Gal Conquers London | Her Campus
HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR ANXIETY/DEPRESSION:
- Gala Darling | Adorn Yourself, Adore Your Life
- Tiny Buddha: Wisdom Quotes, Letting Go, Letting Happiness In
- Practical Happiness Advice That Works | The Positivity Blog
- PuppyCam
- the quiet place
- Helpguide.org
- If you are religious: Here’s the Biblical Way to Overcome Anxiety and Depression
- The Self Esteem Blog | Building Self Esteem | Better Self Esteem
- So Worth Loving
- Love Yourself
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