Woman shares painful truth behind panic attacks

Simone Olivero
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(Facebook/Amber Smith)

Feeling panicked? You’re not alone.

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in Canada, according to the Anxiety Disorder Association of Canada. It’s believed that at least 12 per cent of Canadians experience feelings of anxiety on any given day. And yet, there’s still a stigma attached to the disorder. Amber Smith agrees.

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Wanting to shed some light on what it actually feels like to experience a panic attack, a Rugby, Warwickshire local shared the above picture on Facebook.

In the top image, Smith shows how she looks on a regular day. “Dressed up, make up done, filters galore.” But in the lower image, we see another side of Smith – one often hidden from public view.

“Taken tonight shortly after suffering from a panic attack because of my anxiety.”

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(Facebook/Amber Smith)

In the post, Smith goes on to talk about her struggles with anxiety and the difficulty she faces around other people’s misunderstanding of mental health.

“It disgusts me that so many people are so uneducated and judgemental over the topic,” she writes on her Facebook page.

“I’ve been battling with anxiety and depression for years and years and there’s still people that make comments like ‘you’ll get over it,’ 'you don’t need tablets, just be happier,’ 'you’re too young to suffer with that.'”

“F*** YOU. F*** all of you small minded people that think that because I physically look 'fine’ that I’m not battling a monster inside my head every single day.”

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Smith goes on to say that though she does consider herself a strong person and has a strong support system of friends and family, this is something that she has to deal with regularly. She urges others to share their struggles and to not be afraid to seek out help.

And to the rest, she pleads for understanding.

“Don’t bully others, don’t put others down and the hardest one of them all (as we have all done it at some point) don’t judge another person. We’re all human regardless of age, race, religion, wealth, job. So build one another up instead of breaking each other down.”

Since going live, the post has been shared more than 13,000 times, with many leaving comments of support for Smith and other suffering from anxiety disorders.

What do you think of Amber Smith’s post? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below or tweeting to @YahooStyleCA.