My struggle with anxiety disorder

I saw a post Solomon Buchi made about his struggle with anxiety disorder and it strengthened me to speak a little about my own struggles. 

Yes, I also struggle with anxiety disorder and an extreme form of tension headaches. I cannot really remember when it started but over the years, I would feel so anxious especially when I was supposed to appear before people or get in front of a crowd. 

In 2013, I got admission to study theatre in RUN. I can remember when I would even feel anxious over things I know I could do very well. During my 400 level performance, I took a major role but now I remember how terrible I felt before going on stage. The extreme tension I felt made a colleague of mine become so upset, and he told me to stop being uneasy. 

Before my decision to study theatre, I was so stressed over nothing, I couldn’t talk in public because of an extreme fear over a stammering problem I had while growing up. But the issue I had with stammering has disappeared after my decision to study theatre at RUN. God used theatre to heal me of a stammering problem that almost ruined every possibility of me speaking publicly. 

In 2018, I realized that my struggle with fear and anxiety only heightened. I became so sad over almost everything that happened around me. It didn’t end here as facing people got much more hard. I didn’t feel happy enough to do anything anymore but you couldn’t have known this because I was always happy. 

The very sad thing about depressed people is that you wouldn’t be able to know that they are going through so much pain. Please be very kind and nice to everyone you meet. Those who smile a lot may also have bruised souls. Gradually it got worse because I lost so much interest in carrying out my daily activities. It was until 2019 that I realized that what I had was a mental health challenge “anxiety disorder”. 

Most times it gets so tiresome facing people, but I’ve made up my mind never to stop. The dark tension headaches would arise here and there but you know one thing, I depend on God. I could feel so sad about things but in a few minutes, a new form of joy would fill my heart because I’m learning to cope with living through it. 

There is nothing you cannot cope with. Anxiety disorder is not a death sentence. Mental health issues may have come to slow you down, but you can decide to live above it. I’m living above it and nothing can slow me down. 

From vintage Devotionals 

MinkaGrace.blogspot.com