I thought long and hard about what the best use of my Listserve opportunity would be and for me the most rewarding thing would be to know that I've helped somebody. Even if it's just one person it will make it completely worth it. This time last year I overcame probably the biggest hurdle and something that would have seriously impacted my future. From the age of 15 I suffered with panic attacks & anxiety that made even the smallest of things an obstacle. For those of you that don't know what panic attacks are, they essentially occur due to your brain's inability to process information correctly at that particular point in time. They make you feel sick, dizzy and intensely panicky; like your whole body is working against you. What makes them worse is that they are invisible to anybody but the person having them and often come at the worst of times. It is important to remember that they don't necessarily come in high pressure situations, some people get them while riding the tube.
Personally, they made doing anything out of the ordinary a challenge. I didn't know where to seek help and didn't know how to stop feeling the way I did. At my worst I wasn't even sure if I would ever find a way to get rid of them. Now here's where I hopefully help at least one of you start to get over your panic attacks & anxiety. In the Summer of 2012 I experienced a few life events that would change my outlook on everything and change my life. At the start of the summer I met my favourite band and with that my biggest role model. This experience not only taught me that I could push past my anxiety and achieve things I never thought I could, but also that I shouldn't let my mind stop me from experiencing the most amazing things in life. During that summer I volunteered at the London Olympic Games, pushing myself further than I had ever done. During that experience I finally overcame my anxiety when I realised one thing; life is too short to let my mind stop me from experiencing all the amazing things the world has to offer. If you are sitting reading this and you are somebody who believes that you'll never be able to overcome your anxiety you just need to keep a few things in mind every day. You can ALWAYS take time and relax whenever you're in a situation you believe to be difficult. You are in complete control of yourself and nobody is going to think bad of you for wanting a few minutes of time. Always remember that what you experience can be overcome and it's far simpler than you think, it just takes a change in your perception of things. Remember that worry is a complete waste of energy, it doesn't produce anything. Finally, don't ever let your mind stop you from having a good time. Realise that life is short and you should take every opportunity as it's these experiences that you will always look back on. I'm 21 next Saturday, in my third year of my degree, have seen the most incredible things and have some amazing opportunities ahead of me. I'm proud to say that my life is good. I am happy.
Please feel free to email me or send me a message on twitter @jamiemaison anytime and i'll do my best to help, even if you just want to find out more about my experiences.
Thanks for reading,
Jamie Maison
[email protected]
London, UK