Anonymous

Photography by Shane Fruchterman

If you’re reading this, take a deep breath.

Breathing isn’t something you learned how to do as a kid, you just did it. And to this day, it remains a necessary and constant practice in our lives. Like many people our age, I struggle with anxiety. I actually don’t struggle with it, it comes pretty naturally to me. 

A few years ago, it got out of control. My breath began to waiver as I experienced my first anxiety attack. Do not recommend. I felt betrayed by my body and mind. And by the very procedure that keeps me alive: breathing. It was my breath that controlled me instead of the other way around. After talking with a close relative, I decided to relearn the basic skill I had taken for granted. I started from the beginning just like learning how to ride a bike. And over time and practice, I learned to take back control. 

Sometimes, I breathe to prevent my body and mind from taking me to places I can’t come back from. Sometimes, I breathe to prepare myself for a challenging experience. And sometimes I breathe to have a moment away from my thoughts and regain control. 

Whatever your reason and whatever you’re going through, thinking, or feeling right now, take a deep breath. I guarantee it’ll help.

Anonymous, University of Wisconsin

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