My name is Shawn. I'm an average 19 year old, now at least. 

About 4 years ago I was officially diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I was placed on the medication, Paxil, and sent home to cope. At this time I was a sophomore in high school... just an average teen! Time gradually made its way by me, but things started getting a lot worse. Mid-way through my junior year in high school, I started having so many panic attacks that I had to be placed on home school. My last week of school ended that Thursday. Every single day for that week I had severe panic attacks, and had to be taken home or to the Doctor. After that, I started getting better. I finished my Junior year, and things looked a bit more bright. I completed my Senior year of high school by home school as well, and was able to finish with a diploma. Now, I thought things would be clean-cut from then on! Little did I know that the next year or two would be the most stressful years of my life. My happiness towards completing school, and going to college quickly changed. Panic attacks started up again, some were caused for no reason, some were brought on by stress. These were some of the worst panic attacks I've ever had! It got to the point where we had to call 911, several times, and I was transported by ambulance to the hospital. I also had approximately 15 hospital ER visits. Then, in early September, 2002, on a Sunday night I took 30-35 various pills, as an attempt of suicide. The next morning I woke up, I realized that things were never going change. I was lost, hurt, scared, angry, and most of all.. frustrated. I told my parents, and admitted myself to the psychiatric unit of the local hospital. In that time, at the hospital, I was able to be surrounded by people who had illnesses just like I had, who were in the same situation, and people who had it a lot worse. I was able to make friendships, and wake up. Only I could change myself. Not my mother, my father, or my best friend. It's a hard thing to do, probably the most hardest thing you'll ever have to do. After being discharged from the hospital, I began therapy, and started seeing a Therapist. I was placed on Zoloft and Seroquel. I was diagnosed with Depression, and Panic Disorder, and had severe symptoms of Insomnia. At the end of 2002, I still continued having panic attacks, but they became fewer in-between, and shorter in duration. I'm now in college as a candidate for a degree in Psychology. I still have panic attacks sometimes but I’m able to work myself through them. It's a disease that very few people understand, and a disease that very few people care about. It's also just as hard to live with as depression. It not only affects you, personally, but your family. My mother eventually quit her job, and things changed. It was just as hard for her to cope with things, as it was for me to. My family life changed, friendships changed, and life changed. Only you can change life, and how you live it. You might not wanna live for what it's worth, but live it how YOU want to. 

My email is: shawnrlogan@yahoo.com