Video Transcription

Signs and symptoms of anxiety

I was sitting in my room and  I couldn’t figure out a little problem with some of my maths homework. I just remember losing it. Like, I threw a pen, I was yelling at myself, slammed my head into my desk—just doing all this stuff to hurt myself. I just had no control over my emotions and how I was feeling. I just felt helpless.

There were so many thoughts that just entered my head, these ridiculous “what-ifs” that will never happen. But for me, they felt so real. My depression made me want to stay in bed all the time, but my anxiety would just make me so anxious about not doing anything.

I thought I was having a medical emergency. I was really dizzy. I was always really worried that I was going to faint—the heart palpitations, the sweaty palms. I was shaking just uncontrollably. If I hadn’t known what I know now, like how all I need is really a temperature change or something like that to flick me back into consciousness…

Oh my gosh, I have the most amazing psychologists and psychiatrists who really get me. It’s been a journey to find people that really understand and that I really feel like I can express myself to.

I eventually went to a GP in London, and ultimately, that led to my diagnosis: anxiety, depression, panic disorder. I felt nothing but just complete relief knowing that there was a name and there was now something that I could do about it.

Video by Beyond Blue