Samantha C.
If you’re reading this, you deserve all the good things in life that happen to you.
Just know that even if you feel like you do not deserve anything good in your life or for anything good to happen to you, you actually do deserve all the good and happiness in your life. Please do not let anyone or your anxiety tell you otherwise. I know believing this is easier said than done, but trust me when I say that I felt the same way and now that I see that I am worthy of all of the happiness I can absorb, I feel much better.
When I first started college in 2020, so many things were uncertain for me. Not only had COVID just stopped everything in my life but during all this, starting college was such an odd time in my life. Once I had gotten into the swing of things with school, I realized that my old feeling of anxiety had gotten out of control. What used to be just an uneasy feeling about a test or quiz had now turned into feeling nauseous as soon as I woke up and feeling that I wasn't going to be able to make it through on my own. I had felt that all of the good things that were happening to me at the time were overshadowed by all of the negative things that were happening at the time. Just know that if you are currently experiencing these feelings, you are not alone. These feelings can be extremely overwhelming but just know that they can get better with work and support.
As my first semester of college closed out, I chose to seek out help for the anxiety that I was feeling but had initially pushed away. Once I was told that I had an anxiety disorder and a few other things, I finally felt that I had a concrete reason that I could connect my previous feelings with. I am the type of person who always asks why things are the way they are and without a reason, I tend to constantly question how valid something can be. My friends saw that there was a high level of anxiety in me and I just brushed it off as I thought being anxious all the time was normal when it was anything but. It took a lot of inner strength to seek help on my own, but when I opened up to my friends and family I felt so much love and support in my mental health journey. Now, as I’m about to finish my master's degree I know that all the support I had back then is still with me now and I am so thankful that my friends and family were by my side. I see now that even though I felt like anxiety consumed me back then, I now know that I am the one in control of my anxiety and that I’m not alone in facing it.
I really hope that reading this from someone who has experienced high levels of anxiety and other mental illnesses can inspire others to seek help. I know it is scary and difficult but it is so worth it in the end. Things can really turn around even if you do not believe it at this very moment. Please know that you are special and loved!
If you’re reading this, you deserve all the good things in life that happen to you. Yes, bad things may happen throughout our lives but they do not define who we are as people. Enjoy the good times so that you are prepared for the times that aren’t so great. If things aren’t going so great at the moment, so many people are prepared and want to help you. I know it’s hard to seek out help alone but trust me when I say you are never alone in this even if it feels like it.
Samantha C., University of South Carolina
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