I started to feel my heart racing, like when you haven't worked out in 9 months and you decide to take 5 flights of stairs instead of the elevator . All of a sudden I felt like I couldn't breathe. MY eyes were filling up quickly with tears and my hands were shaking like crazy, I was really scared out of my mind and I didn't know why. This weird scary feeling hit me in the middle of class right when our professor was going over are entire course syllabus. Hearing the schedule for our simulation labs, clinicals, community service, class projects...on top of me thinking about my 5 jobs I had to work to pay for school and the various roles I supported in organizations on campus...in that very moment I was having a panic attack and didn't even realize it.

It took me a while to accept I needed help, especially since talking about mental health in my culture was seen as a taboo. Pretending things will be okay wasn't going to work, I needed to speak to a professional to help me through my thoughts and feelings of anxiety when things were too much to bare. Mental health is vital self-care for me to be the best nurse I can be. The investment in my mental health started when I was in nursing school and still continues to this day.

I'm rooting for you and your #mentalhealth, we're in this together!