Having a panic disorder wasn’t something I felt like I could tell people. It was always much easier to make up excuses like “I’m too busy” or “maybe another day”. At times, it was difficult to bring myself to go to the grocery store, go for a walk, or even just being stuck in traffic was incredibly anxiety inducing. I became so afraid of having a panic attack in public, I just stopped going to any place I thought I may have a panic attack. Over time, my world became very small. I always wanted to travel the world, but refused to get on an airplane again. There was lots of places I would refuse to go, and I couldn’t give people much of an explanation as to why other than “oh it just makes me anxious”. To be honest, it was humiliating. I knew it didn’t make sense, but that didn’t take away the anxiety. It got so bad, I fell into a deep depression thinking I would never be able to live a normal life. I didn’t want to leave the house unless it was absolutely necessary. I figured I had two options - give up, or get help. I decided to get help. I went to therapy. I got on medication. I explained what was going on to my closest friends and family, and they helped me through it. They still help me through it. Today, I still have a lot of anxiety, and occasionally will still have a panic attack, but I’m so proud of the progress I’ve made. I’m going to keep going, keep pushing myself, and never let fear take over my life again. 💙 #panicattack #panicdisorder #agoraphobictraveller #agoraphobiarecocery #mentalhealthawareness