My Struggle With Anxiety: Featured on The Everygirl
Today I’m honored to have my personal story about my struggle with anxiety published on The Everygirl. For those of you who aren’t aware, The Everygirl is a website dedicated to empowering girls across the world. The Everygirl is an amazing online resource helping shape the creative, career-driven woman to experience her life better lived. It is the inspiration to help you achieve your dreams, whatever they may be. It was one of Forbes’ “Top 10 Sites for Millennial Women” and one of the “Top 100 Sites for Women” in 2012.
I’m so glad I had this amazing opportunity to share my thoughts with a large audience, and I hope it can help girls in some way, shape or form. You can read my story (and see a cute photo of me as a baby) by clicking here.
What a great honor to be featured! You should be proud of yourself 🙂 Off to check it out!
thanks so much!
wow Rachel, number one what a great opportunity to be featured on the everygirl. Also, so amazing to share your struggle with anxiety. It is a hard thing for people to admit but it does effect so many of us! Great article.
Thanks Dina! It definitely took some courage, but I wanted to show people that it’s important to know you aren’t alone
Go girl!! The story is great – congrats on the feature!
thanks so much Emily!
Wow, what an awesome opportunity. Congrats! I absolutely love The Everygirl! Heading over there to check it out!
thanks Allyssa!
I saw it on Every Girl, happy for you and Congrats girlie.
thanks Rachelle!
Congrats on the feature! My husband struggles with anxiety so I’m definitely going to send him the article. Thanks for sharing your story with us!
thanks Sharon!
Congratulations on this feature!! Excited to go and read it. I’m with you on the anxiety front, and I think more people than we know are, too!
Thanks Julie- you’re so right. A lot of people go through it whether it’s small or large.
A well written and poignant feature Rachel, thanks for sharing.
thanks so much girl!
Oh my goodness, thanks for sharing!
I am going to read it now. Congrats on this opportunity and sharing your story!!
Thanks Shanna!
Wow! I’m so excited to read this, and so proud of you for sharing your story!
thanks Maya!
I’m so glad you shared – I love your honesty.
thank you Ashley!
Way to go, Rachel! This was so well done. You’re so brave. Good for you for sharing!
aw thanks Maria!
Omg omg imagine my surprise and then delight when I was trolling through my facebook this morning and came across The Everygirl’s post which featured your photo! I remember reading that article, it was so well written and I’m glad you’re getting major publicity from it. I couldn’t be more excited for you since I’m a huge fan of The Everygirl. Keep the great posts coming.
aw thank you so much Jenee- that is SO sweet of you!
I read the post and just have to say, you’re SO not alone with the anxiety thing. It started for me when I was young too, getting ‘nervous stomaches’ for just no reason, sometimes at school or at church, or pretty much anywhere where I was essentially “stuck” and couldn’t leave if I wanted to. I’ve always been more of a pessimistic, worrisome type person, but there were several times in high school and within the last few years where things would get so bad. I was just like you, so afraid to go to bed and get up the next morning. There was a time in college where literally I planned my whole life around so that I could just sleep in as much as possible because getting up in the morning was so painful. My heart would begin to pound the moment I woke up. And I can’t even say that it was triggered by anything specific. It would just come and go.
Thankfully, I’ve found ways to manage it and cope without drugs, though that was always something in the back of my mind, and I 100% understand some people needing them. I’ve learned different breathing/focus techniques where I learn how to control my thoughts when the anxiety comes on, and I try to focus on, honestly, the love of God, because it brings me peace. I also will focus on something I have to look forward to in the future, or just something positive in general. I really think that having a blog has helped me use some creative energy into something I love, and I hope it helps you too, Rachel! My heart goes out to you, lady. <3
Lynette, thanks so much!
I know a lot of women/girls go through it (some is just here and there and some is serious stuff like what I went through), so I thought by sharing my story I could help others.
I’m glad yours was treated without medication. I would’ve preferred that for myself, but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way! haha thanks for your kind words <3
So awesome Rachel! Congrats on your feature!
thanks so much Yi-chia!
congrats on the feature! thanks for always being so open and honest 🙂
aw thanks Chelsie!
You are awesome! I’m sure your story will help lots of people. Congrats on the feature!
Thanks so much!
Congrats on the feature and thanks for sharing your story!! Anxiety is really very common. I have challenges with it as well as several of my friends and family members. You are a great example to other women out there that may be struggling with this as well:)
Thanks Amy! You’re right- a lot of people go through it. Many people won’t admit it and many over-exaggerate and make those of us who do suffer from it look bad. I wanted to clear that up and help others <3
Rachel you’re so awesome! That post was phenomenal. I too have a lot of experience with anxiety, so I understand exactly what you are saying. Way to describe such a touchy subject so gracefully!
Thanks so much Camden!
Rach, your post on The EveryGirl is incredible. And not just because The Everygirl is amazing and one of the first sites I go on in the morning besides yours, but because it takes a lot of courage to share that! I think anxiety is definitely more common than we realized, and you’ve used your resolve and creativity to help for the better 🙂
Thank you so much Courtney!
I loved reading your article Rachel…so relatable, great advice, and it definitely takes guys to share stuff like that…I think it’s awesome that you did 🙂
Thanks so much Annie!
Rachel – it takes huge huge huge guts to share your story. But if you’ve helped even one other girl get help with her own anxiety, it’s worth it. Thanks for sharing your story and being so courageous.
Thanks Lauren!
Bravo to you for sharing your story. I hope it impacts at least one person, which I’m sure it will. You are brave and strong.
thank you so much AJ!
Congratulations! I love The Everygirl! I’m off to read your feature right now…
thank you!
Rachel,
I am behind on my blog reading, but I am particularly looking forward to visiting the Everygirl to read what you have to share with us. Ironically, I am on the fence of sharing some of my own similar struggles, via my blog post for today. Thank you for giving me the extra boost of courage to share. I am looking forward to reading what you have to say. You look precious as ever. Hope you are well.
Aw Whitley than you so much. I think blogging and writing about my issues is a great way to get it off my chest and to help others as well. I think writing about yours may help you do the same! 🙂
I suffer from anxiety too, and the more blogs I read the more I realize how common it is! Headed over to read your post now!
thanks!
You’re very brave to be willing to share your own personal story. I wish more of us that suffer from anxiety and/or depression would be willing to share. It’s only through the sharing that we will destigmatize the issue! Thanks!!
thanks so much! You’re so right- whether it’s people hiding that they have it or people saying they have it when they don’t, the issue is very misunderstood.
Wow, I’m so impressed that you were so open about your struggles with anxiety. What a great article, and congratulations on having it published. Surprisingly, I know so many people that struggle with anxiety and/or depression at different levels. I think it’s so much more prevalent in society than we think. It’s just one of those taboo topics that people are scared to talk about. I suffered with it at one point in my life as well, although it wasn’t nearly as severe as what others have had to battle. It’s just so wonderful when f
Jenny, thank you so much. I felt that writing about it not only helped me, but could help others too. I think it’s an issue many people cover up or an issue that people don’t take seriously/everyone thinks they have it. I hope I can help other women/girls by writing about it. 🙂
Congratulations on the post! Very well written and honest:)
Thank you Alison!
Congratulations on the feature, and thank you so much for sharing your story! <3
thanks Dani!
Thanks for sharing your story. I too have struggled with anxiety in social situations, to the point where I’ll bail last minute on events, making excuses because I’m panicing (for no good reason) about attending them. Work is also an issue sometimes. It’s gotten much better and sometimes I feel like a very social person. Other times, not so much. It’s comforting to know that other people go through similar experiences to mine. (And I’m so glad it has gotten so much better for you!) Thanks again for sharing!
Good to hear Sarah- thanks for the sweet comments. I’ve definitely gotten better with my medicine AND with trial and error with my thinking and managing stress. 🙂
Rachel! I had no idea you were featured here! Congrats!!!! I love this site. And what a great story to share. I’m glad you were able to seek help and make it better (and I hope all is still going well for you). I have been struggling with anxiety when I started life in the “real world”… and I thought it was something I could handle on my own because I feel like that’s what people or society says. I just figured it was a feeling everyone had once their life changed so much. When I started having panic attacks and sometimes couldn’t breathe, (this happened for over a year) my boyfriend encouraged me to see a doctor. It was so scary. I wanted to curl up in the corner of the room and just have it all go away on its own. I was diagnosed with anxiety/depression and given a prescription. Since then, my anxiety has been much more manageable and I haven’t had another panic attack. It is crazy to think that there are probably so many people out there who let this go untreated, so it was so nice of you to share your personal story so that people know it is okay to get help.
Ah thanks Rachel! I think you were in Vegas living the dream when I posted this haha it’s something so many of us “normal” people go through, I wanted to share with everyone 🙂