The Stigma of An Invisible Illness

Early in April, Amber Smith shared two photos of herself on her Facebook page; one in which she is all dressed up, an image she describes as the "normal" version of herself she showcases to the world, and the other of her "true normal" self only she tends to see shortly after she's had a panic attack. Amber posted the photos in an effort to break down the ‪‎stigma‬ of invisible conditions such as ‪‎anxiety‬ and ‪‎depression‬, and demonstrate just how often people assume that because one appears youthful and fine (an image often portrayed by our social media presence), you can’t experience severe and debilitating mental health conditions.Rather Amber's photos work to highlight how mental illness does not discriminate and encourages us to recall the old adage of "not judging a book by its cover". Smith also hopes that her photos helps others who are also struggling in silence and provides them with the courage and encouragement they need to seek help.

"‘Do you know how many people that equates to worldwide?! And yet I’ve been battling with anxiety and depression for years and years and there’s still people that make comments like “you’ll get over it”, “you don’t need tablets, just be happier”, “you’re too young to suffer with that'"...
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Shockingly, she described a conversation she had recently been a part of, where someone actually had the audacity to ask her: ”Aren’t you too young to be suffering with anxiety and depression? What do you actually have to be depressed about at your age?”

To read more click here: ​http://metro.co.uk/2016/04/06/girl-speaks-out-about-battle-with-anxiety-with-photos-taken-minutes-after-a-panic-attack-5798797/

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