Something that have had a major impact on my life, is my anxiety. From age 19 to 27, I suffered from social anxiety, panic anxiety and depression. Today I am 33 years old, and only have brief episodes of panic anxiety.
It all started in the military, where I was doing my training at age 19. When standing in line for a gas mask activity, my eyes rolled back and I blacked out. I passed out and woke up with my friends standing around me.
This episode made me afraid to be in crowds, because of the fear of passing out. Of course, there are also biological factors involved. I guess I am sensitive when it comes to anxiety.
In the beginning, it was not that bad. I just avoided big crowds. But the lack of activity made me depressed and apathic. It was a bad circle, and step by step I excluded things and people in my life. It did, however, become slightly better for a period, when I had a girlfriend. When we broke up, I did not have much motivation left. At age 23 I seeked help at the local doctors office. The response was a prescription with anti-depressives.
The pills took the worst anxiety away, but my behavior did not change much. I still avoided many things.
