Most of us meet many potential mates through friends at parties, clubs, restaurants and various other places. It seems to be the natural progression of human nature. We are friends with someone because we both have qualities that appeal to the other. They have other friends for the same exact reason. It seems to be a logical assumption that a friend of a friend would be a wise choice to consider dating. The same would apply to a blind date- a friend of a friend whom we havent met yet through chance. Friends and family are the most likely to attempt the blind date for a single person. Those who know us best always seem to approach the blind date proposal with something like, You know who would be perfect for you? Its a great start for a single person to find a partner. As far as what we like and are attracted to in a friend can definitely be found this way.
You are not a burden because you have challenges that extend far beyond your control. I know the thoughts can get loud and the pain can feel heavy but at the beginning of each morning and the end of each night and every moment in between…you are still worthy. The summer before my senior year of college I began experiencing hot flashes and random episodes of dizziness . During those moments I felt out of control and I was convinced I was having a heart attack or symptoms of some serious physical illness. The more they happened, the more I feared them happening again. I was in a constant state of nervous anticipation. With my mom’s encouragement, I hesitantly agreed to see a therapist and was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Up until then, I had little knowledge of mental health conditions and no idea what life looked like for someone who lived with one.
My “normal”revolved around college life. I focused solely on the external. Until that day at the end of the summer I had never turned my focus inward; never thought about how I was feeling. My diagnosis marked the beginning of a different realm of life for me. It was as if I had been snapped awake—finally feeling everything my mind had been stuffing down for many years. Are you suffering from anxiety? Take our 2-minute anxiety quiz to see if you may benefit from further diagnosis and treatment. Due to the severity of my symptoms, I wasn’t able to return back to school that fall, the following semester, or the semester after that. My GAD turned into Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia. Sadly, I became emotionally paralyzed and unable to leave my home on my own for months. It was a scary time. I lived in a state of continuous fear and discomfort, completely isolated from the outside world.
It was shocking how quickly my life had changed. Seemingly overnight I transformed from a thriving college student—with a bright future—to a housebound prisoner of my own mind. The agoraphobia was fueled by the concern of having another panic attack in public. Or, running into someone I knew from school and being bombarded with questions I wasn’t ready to answer. Weekly therapy, endless doctor visits and tests, daily mental health education, and an obsession with getting better became my new normal. Suddenly, my entire life became about saving it. During this difficult time, I continued dating my college boyfriend. Before my diagnosis, we had a normal and exciting relationship—I thought of him as my best friend. My diagnosis, however, took us both by surprise. Our carefree, college romance was suddenly derailed by a real life crisis. We tried to do the long-distance thing but the adjustment was tough. One day happily walking through life together; the next torn apart by an undeniable challenge that at the time seemed impossible to understand.