Panic Attack: British Woman Shares 

Image of Herself Before and After Anxiety

 Attack

Thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to decide how you want to present yourself to the world. Of course, the pressure to be picture-perfect is so real, especially when you see everyone else’s impressive, art-directed photos. That’s why it’s beyond impressive when people open up about how their social media selves don’t tell the full story. On April 3, Amber Smith, a 22-year-old woman from Rugby, U.K., uploaded a composite of two photos to Facebook. In the top one, she’s “dressed up, make up done, [with] filters galore,” she says in her post. And in the bottom shot, clearly shaken, she’s just suffered a panic attack. “I wanted to show that airbrushed photos on Instagram and Facebook don’t necessarily showcase the ‘real’ you,” Smith tells SELF via email. 

The photos prove that no matter how “normal” someone looks, they might struggle with mental health issues, and that actually doesn’t make them any less normal. A full 18 percent of Americans deal with an anxiety disorder, according to theNational Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). There are different types of anxiety issues under that umbrella, including panic disorders that affect 2.7 percent of Americans. Panic disorders are marked by panic attacks, which are exactly what they sound like: “sudden and repeated attacks of intense fear,” according to the NIMH. One of the crappy things about panic attacks is that they often include physical symptoms like an accelerated heartbeat, shaking, shortness of breath, and a choking sensation, all of which can further convince the person experiencing them that they have reason to feel terrified.

Even though there are some misconceptions about what kind of people struggle with anxiety—in her post, Smith says people have called her “too young” for it—mental health issues can affect anyone. “It doesn’t make you weak. Mental health does not pick and choose, and it does not discriminate,” says Smith.

To date, her post has been shared over 13,500 times and garnered supportive comments about how brave she is to share her anxiety with the world. We couldn’t agree more—read her full post below.  

Amber Smith

3 April at 23:28 · Rugby, United Kingdom · 

God knows why I'm doing this, but people need some home truths..

Top picture: What I showcase to the world via social media. Dressed up, make up done, filters galore. The 'normal' side to me.

Bottom picture: Taken tonight shortly after suffering from a panic attack because of my anxiety. Also the 'normal' side to me that most people don't see.

I'm so sick of the fact that it's 2016 and there is still so much stigma around mental health. It disgusts me that so many people are so uneducated and judgemental over the topic. They say that 1 in 3 people will suffer with a mental illness at some point in their life. 1 in 3! Do you know how many people that equates to worldwide?! And yet 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'

FUCK YOU. Fuck 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.

Someone actually said this to me one day 'aren't you too young to be suffering with anxiety and depression? What do you actually have to be depressed about at your age?' Wow, just wow.

I'm a strong person, I've been through my fair share of crap in life (the same as anyone else) and I will be okay. I have the best family and friends around me and I am thankful everyday that they have the patience to help and support me.

To anyone who is going through the same, please do not suffer in silence. There is so much support around - Don't be scared to ask for help.

This is why I can't stress enough that it costs nothing to be nice to others. 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.

❤