My True Story #No39

"Oh my god, you’re so confident’ or ‘I love how confident you are, I wish I was that confident"....These are things I hear on a regular basis. But what most people don’t know is the crippling anxiety I feel most days." - Gemma

"Oh my god, you’re so confident’ ‘I love how confident you are, I wish I was that confident’. These are things I hear on a regular basis. Being a drama teacher and all round extrovert, it’s hard to not fall onto people’s radar. But what most people don’t know is the crippling anxiety I feel most days.

Some days it’s just in the mornings as I look in the mirror, then I pick myself up and move on. Other days, it’s so bad that I have to cry in the toilets at lunch time before heading back to my class of 18 children. What do you have to be anxious about? is another of my favourite questions.

As an international teacher on a good wage, I get to travel the world. But behind closed doors, I am anxious about how I look, why I’m single, why he never texts back, why I wasn’t food enough, why she doesn’t like me, will I ever buy a house, why can’t I just cut a break.

I didn’t really understand what was wrong with me until a doctor told me and I quote ‘you have so many worries going round your brain, that you’re a survivor just getting up in the morning’.

My name is Gemma, and I am a survivor. I’m also an anxiety sufferer and God Damn Queen.

If you ever feel like you need to talk to someone - always hit me up. Together, we can be stronger! #anxiety #extrovert #scared #worry #fear #survivor #igotthis #butseriouslyuokHun "

True story told by Gemma, @Gemmalouise2113

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