“Anxiety Will Not Define Me” — A successful designer’s story — REAL HEROES

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[Music] foreign how are you today would you be my friend my one of my very very close friends since kindergarten and I've known you for a long time I have also realized that you've suffered from anxiety disorder for a long long time would you like to share your journey around that um yeah absolutely I think I've had it all my life um and I struggled with not feeling happy and overthinking for several years and I you know saw people not understand something that actually friendly even I did not and then at a certain point I realized that I was not going I was not going to let it Define me that I was much more than an anxious person so I consulted a doctor put onto some medication did a little bit of therapy and I I'm sharing this because I want everybody to understand that it is something which is very common in today's time and it has to be something that you deal with to be able to live a fulfilling and value creating life so what made you realize that you had this I mean how did you even have the realization that you were suffering from it uh I saw um I saw myself worried about things that I saw other people were not um I I felt very anxious about the smallest things possible and so I as I read about it and researched on Google I figured that there was something not right and I needed to fix it so it was self-discovery that made you go to a doctor absolutely and um uh I you know I would definitely say that if anybody is uncomfortable in not being able to live a fulfilling life or a complete life then they should consult somebody to figure out what's happening don't be yeah and talking about it is really good to help right yeah it's such a bad issue people don't want to talk about it at all and people are embarrassed of it and which is why I'm doing this session because I feel you know it's all right it's all right to be anxious it's also all right to be depressed and share and you know confide and let everybody support you through it and that's the way to work through it all my friends all of you have really supported me through this yeah yeah no I've seen you grow a lot and not only that I also know you are a world-renowned dress designer you've gone through a lot of different Journeys in your life uh share something that you've been doing recently and you've done in the past and yet the accolades that you've got I am absolutely passionate about design um it it really is something that I thoroughly enjoy to do and I've just had to balance my anxiety with the amount of work I've put in so that I continue to enjoy what I do currently I'm teaching in a very prestigious Institute Pearl Academy in Jaipur and um I thoroughly enjoy myself and because I'm aware just the fact that I came out in the open and shared with everybody that I have an anxiety disorder it took a huge burden of my chest and I've been able to you know through my work as at fashion shows and as a teaching person as a faculty as a consultant I've been able to I feel bring out the best Within Me absolutely and it's a big burden like I'm saying again it's a big burden of my chest to be able to share with people that I have this issue and um so that's it great thank you so much thank you [Music] thank you

More Information

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.1 Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only 36.9% of those suffering receive treatment.1 Puja, a successful fashion designer, admits she had an anxiety disorder all her life but only recently realized she needed help dealing with it. She decided at this point that her mental health was not going to define her. She wanted to share her story on Rcoz.us platform because anxiety disorders are very common in today’s world. It is something that one needs to deal with in order to live a fulfilling and value filled life. She saw herself worried and anxious about little things. She knows that people don’t want to talk about it and are embarrassed. She feels that a big burden has been lifted off her shoulders by sharing her story. Also, by sharing her story to a wide audience, she hopes to help others who feel the same way. Zahida, a successful physician, was happy to share her story with us because she felt she could talk freely and without being judged. She moved to the US 25 years ago. Setting up her medical practice, combined with moving to a new country, embracing a new culture and settling in with a new family was challenging. Physicians have this image and expectation to be perfect human beings. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be high functioning, think that we are invisible and can overcome any challenges we face without seeking help. Even highly educated physicians can suffer from anxiety. They are not an exception. The physician community in the US experiences a lot of anxiety and depression. There is also a high rate of suicide. Because of this there is a high rate of suicide because physicians do not seek help or seek help when it is too late. Zahida opted to start off fighting her symptoms on her own but later sought counseling. Now when she sees patients who are working through their issues she feels empathy for them. How true are these stories? Speaking about anxiety is scary but putting yourself in a certain level of comfort makes it easier for the storyteller. One’s vulnerability is exposed but the benefit they see in providing their story makes it much easier. 1https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics

What an Expert Says

In this YouTube video <https://youtu.be/Oc0suB3SESk>, Dr. Seema Sehgal, a practicing psychiatrist with over 25 years of experience, is interviewed on the Rcoz platform about social anxiety. She explains that social anxiety is a specific disorder where people's anxiety escalates during everyday interactions, causing severe embarrassment and self-consciousness. This disorder can impact relationships, work performance, and lead to isolation and substance use. The age group most likely to experience it is between 13 and 23 years old. Dr. Sehgal also discusses when it is appropriate to seek professional help for social anxiety and the symptoms that indicate the need for treatment. #socialanxiety #mentalhealth #psychiatry #anxietydisorders #functioning #treatmentoptions

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