The universal human experience of anxiety

Back in the early 2000s, I had a panic attack while driving on I-80 in Nebraska. For years, I refused to drive. If you've ever had a panic attack, you know why. I truly believed I was going to die.

Fast forward to a few summers ago. I'd worked through much of the low-level anxiety that plagued me most of my life. And I'd been driving all over Colorado with zero hesitation. But I decided it was time to face I-80, taking a road trip from Denver to my folks' farm in Iowa. So I packed up the Subaru and hit the road with my teenage daughter and our little dog, Leo.

I don't love road trips. But I knew this was something I'd need to do to get past my fears. As I approached the stretch between North Platte and Gothenburg where the attack occurred, I could feel my body tense. But I only had one moment where I felt breathless and lightheaded. I stuck with it. And miracles of all miracles, it passed.

It was a full circle moment for me to talk with Allie Morford, PhD, about a program she's created for parents and school administrators about accommodations for childhood anxiety. I could have easily avoided ever driving solo across Nebraska, but I am so glad that the fear no longer stops me from doing what I want.

Here's a quote from the article that I found so meaningful, as a parent and as someone who has had to face fears to overcome anxiety:

“Anxiety prevents us from doing the things that really matter in life. We stop taking risks – in school, in relationships – and we miss out. As a society, we want our kids to explore the world and push boundaries in ways that are safe." Keeping them trapped in avoidance due to anxiety isn’t the answer.”

https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/are-we-unintentionally-making-the-anxious-generation-more-anxious