I went back and forth about sharing my personal struggles on social media but in light of everything that’s going on in the world right now I thought if I could help one person feel less alone then it’s worth it. For quiet some time now I have struggled with anxiety, social anxiety, and panic attacks. No, I don’t go to public school, but I go to the movies, I hang out at the mall with my friends, I go to the grocery store with my parents, and I live life! Anytime I’m out the first thing I do is check to see where I could “escape”, I check to see where the exits are. Those conversations with my parents started happening after Sandy Hook, I was almost 5. It is not normal for kids to have to worry about where to hide if there’s an active shooter. That is not normal life! Then on top of all of that, Covid happened. Now we are worried about getting sick, getting others sick, and what could happen if they did get sick. So to limit exposure, you isolate, you form bubbles. But what happens when those kids growing up in bubbles come out of them? Social anxiety. That’s where I’m at right right now. Talking to a therapist has really helped me work through these issues and I think it’s so important to normalize therapy! Mental health is just as important as our physical health. I still struggle with it on a daily basis, but the more I talk about it the more I’m finding I’m not alone. And neither are you! Just because someone’s life looks “perfect” on social media doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling, I think we are all struggling right now in some way, so let’s be kinder, more gentle with each other.. and with ourselves. We are going through a lot. This world is a lot right now. ❤️