health
Welcome to Anxietyland: I used alcohol to hide my fear
Gemma Correll has suffered from anxiety and depression disorders since childhood, and at 16 she discovered a magical elixir that promised to make her feel better. In this extract from her new book, she shows how that promise was broken
TL;DR
- Gemma Correll has experienced anxiety and depression since childhood.
- She uses the metaphor 'Anxietyland' to describe her mental health challenges, including panic attacks and agoraphobia.
- In 2018, she experienced severe panic attacks in Oakland, describing it as a 'Downward Spiral'.
- During her university years, she struggled with anxiety and agoraphobia, finding comfort in alcohol.
- Giving up alcohol was a positive step, though not a complete solution.