Prioritizing My Mental Health: Overcoming My Anxiety Disorder And Recovering From A Secret Kept Over 45 Years – Laurie

The following is an honest review from a real BetterHelp client.

Over 40 million US adults live with an anxiety disorder, which is the most common mental illness worldwide. For many, therapy is the first line of defense against anxiety symptoms, and many people have shared their stories to offer hope to others living with similar experiences. If you're living with anxiety, consider reading Laurie's story to understand how therapy benefited her. 

My mental health journey: Overcoming my anxiety disorder and seeking support 

The following is an honest review from a real BetterHelp client named Laurie: 

"Like so many others, my anxiety prevented me from seeking face-to-face therapy. I could never imagine sitting down with someone and opening up about myself and what I have been through. So, I was initially skeptical when a friend sent me the website for BetterHelp. 

Having never done therapy before, I thought, "What harm could it do?" I knew I needed to talk to someone about the issues I was going through because I was headed downhill quickly. I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't concentrate---I was spinning in circles.

How my BetterHelp journey to battle stress, anxiety, and trauma began

When I first signed up for BetterHelp, I felt lost and out of place. I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere, and everything was overwhelming. I had anxiety, family stress, work stress, trauma, and past abuse issues. I had just returned home from being away for three months taking care of my parents. When I returned home, I didn't feel like I fit in as my world stood still for three months, but my husband's and son's lives continued while I went back to work and felt the same way. I didn't feel like I fit in there, even though I'd worked there for 26 years. My boss treated me differently, and I felt he was punishing me for being away.

Letting go of the secret I held with me for 45 years

To add to the situation, after I returned home, I told my husband about a secret I had held for 45 years, which had changed my life. A brother sexually abused me for four years, and I never told anyone because of his threats. Finally, with all the stress I was under, I had a breakdown, and everything came out.

Setting goals with my BetterHelp counselor: Overcome my anxiety

My work with my BetterHelp counselor, Kassi Goodman, has helped me confront these issues and many others that have popped up. I have been working with Kassi for about 19 months, and she has been excellent and helpful in my recovery process. Kassi has worked with me using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to assist me in thinking differently about my situation. She provides me with worksheets to complete, gives me resources to look at, and suggests books to read. As a result, I have learned to be more patient when reacting to certain situations instead of initially responding critically. 

The “Laurie” I am today

My confidence level is also better than it ever has been. I have done things during my counseling that I never thought in a million years I could do. Most of all, I learned to not worry about what others think of me, as I have learned to think more highly of myself."

Counseling options: Coping with physical symptoms, mental health, and emotional symptoms  

Therapy can make an enormous difference in your life. Online cognitive behavioral therapy, mentioned in Lorie's review, has been clinically proven to help people with mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Online therapy is also discreet, and many people say they can open up in online therapy in a way they may be unable to do in person. 

To try an online therapy platform, consider signing up with a website like BetterHelp, which offers access to a growing database of over 30,000 therapists. Like Lorie, you may be able to find a therapist that is a specialist in the concerns you're experiencing. In addition, with an online platform, you can choose between phone, video, or live chat sessions and message your therapist outside of scheduled sessions if you have questions or concerns.