This Stunning Photo Series Shows What It’s Like To Live With Anxiety

Photographer Katie Crawford created the 12-picture photo series to show the reality of having an anxiety disorder.

Whether it’s generalized anxiety, agoraphobia, or panic attacks, anxiety is one of the most common mental health disorders in Ireland, with an estimated one in nine people suffering a primary anxiety attack in their lifetime.

American photographer Katie Crawford wanted to show the reality of living with an anxiety disorder, and so created a 12-pic photo series entitled “My Anxious Heart” to portray her physical struggle to breathe and the sometimes overwhelming presence of anxiety.

I had to express visually what was happening mentally.

In an interview with Refinery29 Katie, who’s suffered from anxiety from age 11 explains, “Trying to explain a mental illness to someone who’s never experienced it is like trying to explain color to a blind person…I had to express visually what was happening mentally.”

There’s a misconception that anxious people are antisocial, short-fused, or overdramatic,” she continues. “But, they’re most likely processing everything around them so intensely that they can’t handle a lot of questions, people, or heavy information all at once.”

For more info visit our post on managing anxiety here.

Pic credits: Katie Crawford

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