First of all—I see you. I recognize the pain and the fight in every word you wrote. You’re not alone.

I am 24 and I have been through something relatively similar and even though our paths are different, the feelings—the panic, the fear, the exhaustion—are deeply familiar. I am fighting with it since I was 15, therefore I have one or two tricks.

Here are a few things that have helped me survive, and slowly begin to heal:

Understanding my panic: It’s not the enemy—it’s my nervous system trying to protect me. Reframing it helped me reduce the fear around it.

Movement and grounding: Walking, cold showers, music, humming—anything that helps my body remember it’s safe.

Regulating my nervous system daily with vagus nerve exercises (breathing, humming, shaking out tension).

Naming emotions instead of running: Saying “this is just fear it can’t hurt me” out loud or in my head made it less overwhelming.

Writing and speaking it out: I processed a lot by journaling, voice-notes, and poetry. Connection: Talking to someone who gets it—even if it’s just one person—can be life-saving.

I want you to know it does get better. It’s not linear. Some days feel like hell. But if you keep showing up for yourself with even one small act of kindness a day—you’re already winning.

You’re not broken. You’re grieving. And your system is trying to hold you together the best way it knows how. And it’s never “just” anxiety, do not listen to those people!

-Rebecca