My Journey with Anxiety – And How I Learned to Heal From It

Understanding Anxiety: My Story

If you’ve ever felt anxious, overwhelmed, or like you’re constantly holding your breath -you’re not alone. I know exactly how that feels because I’ve been there myself.

In 2016, I was diagnosed with acute anxiety and depression. Up until then, I had no idea that anxiety was a medical condition. Back then, mental health wasn’t talked about nearly as much as it is now. I just thought I was “bad at coping.”

At the time, I worked as an accountant in a fast-paced, high-pressure corporate environment. I was used to being organised, productive, and in control - until suddenly, I wasn’t.

By May 2022, I found myself back in the same dark place again. I felt useless, exhausted, and constantly on edge. I couldn’t think straight, struggled to breathe properly, and spent much of the day fighting back tears - or sometimes just crying without being able to stop. I worried endlessly about everything and everyone, convinced I was annoying people or letting them down.

Eventually, I was signed off work. That’s when I received the diagnosis again - and this time, I knew something had to change.

The Turning Point: Trying to “Fix” Myself

Like many people who experience anxiety, my first reaction was to try to fix it. I trawled the internet for answers, read every article I could find, and created a long list of things that could help me get better quickly.

I thought if I just followed every suggestion - yoga, mindfulness, vitamins, clean eating, no caffeine - I’d be “back to normal” in no time.

But when I shared this with my therapist, she said something that really stuck with me:

“You’ve made getting better into a job - and now you’re using that as another way to beat yourself up.”

That hit hard.

I realised that I was treating recovery like another task to tick off. And when I didn’t manage to do everything perfectly, I’d feel even worse.

Learning to Be Kind to Myself

What I eventually learned is that healing from anxiety isn’t about perfection - it’s about compassion.

When you’re in the middle of anxiety or depression, the last thing you feel like doing is looking after yourself. You might know that going for a walk, eating better, or getting more sleep would help - but your mind and body just don’t want to cooperate.

This is where hypnotherapy can really help. It’s a gentle yet powerful way to quieten the noise in your mind and start shifting those deep subconscious patterns that make change feel so hard. Hypnotherapy helps you reconnect with your calm, motivated, resourceful self - so you can begin to make the small, positive choices that support your wellbeing in the long run.

When you’re in that low place, your brain often goes looking for quick fixes - a glass of wine, extra caffeine, sugary food, or endless scrolling - because they give a short burst of comfort. But the truth is, those things just make the crash harder later.

The real change started when I began to slow down and take small, consistent steps instead of trying to overhaul my entire life at once.

My Wellbeing List: Simple Steps That Supported My Recovery

I created a personal wellbeing checklist - a list of conscious daily habits that supported my mental and emotional health. Things like:

• Gentle daily movement or yoga

• Eating clean, nourishing food

• Reducing caffeine and alcohol

• Getting enough quality sleep

• Practising mindfulness and gratitude

• Spending time in nature or with animals

• Deep breathing and self-care rituals

  
  

I didn’t do all of them every day - and that’s okay. The key was doing something each day that showed I cared about my wellbeing.

The Role of Hormone Changes & Mental Health

Looking back now, I can see that perimenopause and hormonal changes were also playing a big part in how I felt. At the time, I didn’t realise it - I just thought I was falling apart.

Many women experience increases in anxiety, low mood or overwhelm during menopause. Hormonal shifts can affect sleep, emotional regulation, and stress levels - which all intensify feelings of anxiety.

But it’s not just women who are affected by age-related hormone changes. Men also experience gradual changes in their bodies as testosterone levels decline, particularly from around their 30s or 40s, which can affect mood, energy, mental clarity and confidence.

Some of the changes men might notice include:

• Lowered energy and motivation, feeling more tired or irritable than before.

• Sleep disturbances (trouble sleeping, insomnia, poorer sleep quality).

• Reduced confidence or increased mood fluctuations, sometimes depression or anxiety creeping in.

• Physical changes like loss of muscle mass or strength, increased fat around the abdomen, possible changes in libido or sexual function.

• Cognitive effects like brain fog, trouble concentrating or remembering things.

  
  

If you’re reading this and wondering why you suddenly feel “not yourself,” whether you’re a woman or a man, it could be connected. You’re not weak or broken - your body and mind are simply asking for care and attention.

A New Career, A New Purpose

After my second experience with severe anxiety, I realised that the corporate world just wasn’t where I was meant to be anymore. The stress, pressure, and pace weren’t sustainable for me.

So I made the biggest decision of my life - I left my accounting career and retrained as a hypnotherapist.

Now, I specialise in helping people to overcome anxiety, low confidence, and self-doubt. I help them find calm, clarity, and self-belief using the same principles that helped me heal: compassion, consistency, and conscious self-care.

How You Can Start Managing Anxiety Today

If you’re currently struggling with anxiety or low mood, please know that you can feel better. It might not happen overnight, but small, simple actions really do make a difference.

Here are a few places to start:

1. Breathe deeply - a few slow breaths can reset your nervous system.

2. Move your body - even a short walk outside can release tension.

3. Be mindful - notice your thoughts without judging them.

4. Set gentle boundaries - it’s okay to say no and protect your energy.

5. Be kind to yourself - speak to yourself the way you would to a friend.

   
   

And if you’re finding it hard to take that first step, hypnotherapy can help you move forward - easing the overwhelm, calming your mind, and helping you rebuild confidence and motivation.

You’re Not Alone

Anxiety can make you feel isolated, like no one else understands. But you’re not alone - and you don’t have to face it alone, either.

That’s why I’m now running online group workshops where I’ll share the tools and techniques that helped me move from burnout and overwhelm to balance and calm.

We’ll explore simple, evidence-based ways to support your mental health - and you’ll leave with practical steps you can use right away.

If this resonates with you, keep an eye on my social media for details, or drop me a PM or email to register interest.

You deserve to feel peaceful, confident and in control again - and I promise, it’s possible.