The Never-Ending Battle
by Lauren McAteer
Hi, my name is Lauren and I have had anxiety, emetophobia (a phobia of vomit) and agoraphobia for over twenty years. I always say that I experience my mental health issues as if I have two brains and I made this piece to illustrate that.
One side is the negative, anxiety driven, paranoid side which always tells me I can’t do something or points out possible triggers and dangers and what ifs, even if they don’t really exist. The other side is the rational side, which tries to reason things out, reminding me of all the times the other side has been wrong in the past and that everything is going to be alright. Then there’s me, stuck in the middle of their constant arguing and battling, both fighting to be the side that I hear most loudly!
Sometimes the negative side wins, sometimes the positive side wins… All I can do is try to listen to both sides and find the middle ground where things are scary, but I can overcome it…