Honors Blog #5

Similar to most things in life, not every story and situation ends with rainbows and butterflies. Anxiety can turn an individual’s life around and many never come out of it. The side effects can come and go, even disappear for long periods of time with the help of medications. Despite the slight breaks the symptoms and struggles that go hand in hand with anxiety truly never go away. Samantha from the novel “I don’t want to be crazy” is one of those victims that never escapes the dangers that anxiety illuminates.

A teenage girl that was supposed to spend her teenage and college years having the best time of her life, had nothing but the worst time as anxiety and panic attacks took over her life and withdrew any joy and happiness she felt. Samantha was deprived of all her fun and freedom and was never capable of maturing past the aid and comfort of her parents that was provided to her. Once done with college she was still dependent on not only her family which she had to now live with as an adult, but also the countless therapist and doctors that continued to prescribe her sanity. No matter how many pills she took, the condition and severeness of anxiety which she developed took over her life and created nothing but a ghost of who should could of became.

It’s quite inimaginable how easily a person’s life can be overtaken and destroyed forever. Nothing can truly be taken for granted as one moment you can be a joyous free spirit, and the next your having a panic attack in the bathroom stall. People and especially young teens shouldn’t misuse the term anxiety in the wrong context, as they have no understanding of the magnitude the condition has on one’s life. I personally believe that schools and especially High Schools and Colleges should have pre-screening for anxiety and make the symptoms and signs more apparent for young teens whom may not know what is occurring in their life. If the condition can be stopped at an earlier stage, teens wouldn’t be suffering from the traumatic symptoms that occur and wouldn’t be trapped away in their own mind. Similar in nature to that of depression, anxiety is not always easily identified, but should have guidance which can help shape students and quickly escape a path similar to that of Samantha’s.