Omar's Story
When I was 10 years old, I had my first panic attack. I couldn't breathe and gasped for air as my parents called 911. That was it, I thought. I felt like I was dying. I was rushed to the hospital where I quickly recovered. I returned home that night after all the tests showed there was nothing wrong. For the next few months, I was back and forth to the hospital with constant panic attacks. Each time it felt like I was dying, and each time I ended up fine. After seeing a cardiologist and pulmonologist, I was referred to a psychiatrist as they believed my issue to be due to a mental condition. I was soon diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). This began a lifelong journey of mental wellness that has persisted to this day.
​
I spend many years in therapy, going to different therapist and learning to adaptively cope and deal with my conditions. I learned techniques that helped me to conquer my anxiety, and I have since grown out of me OCD. I will still have small panic attacks here and there or moments where I feel depressed, but these episodes are nowhere near as bad as when I was a kid as I have learned to control these conditions and not let them control me. These conditions have only helped to strengthen me and shape me into the person I am today.
​
I still attend occasional therapy sessions and see a psych-PA to keep my mental health in check. I think it is important to take time out of your week to reflect on your mental health and see what you can do to improve it. It is also good to have someone to talk to that can help you work through your problems and destress. I am in a much better state with my mental health, and I am happy to be able to help and guide others through their own journey as a Crisis Counselor for Crisis Text Line and as the founder and leader of the AAMHA.