I am 26 years old, and I only started living recently. From a very young age, I had “problems,” as my parents would have told people. I couldn’t eat at restaurants. I hated going to school. I was terrified of being away from my mom. I would puke any time I felt scared. As I got older, it got worse. 

Things in my environment added to it. My mom suffered from alcoholism and was hospitalized for a suicide attempt. It wasn’t until I was much older this I was correctly diagnosed. My family assumed I was depressed. They made me think I was crazy because I was on medication. The truth is that I was the only person in my family getting the help I needed. I now know that I suffer from depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and a mood disorder. I’m on the right medication and I finally feel like I’m living. I have good days and bad days. I am no longer paralyzed by my anxiety and panic attacks, and that’s an amazing start for me. If you’re feeling hopeless and defeated, hang in there. It took me 26 years to feel “okay,” and you will too. It’s never going to be perfect, but it will be okay. I promise.