Teen Anxiety & Depression

Then out of nowhere, a towering wave—taller than you—looms. Fear surges through your veins, and you race for the shore as fast as you can. But panic hits: you’ve lost sight of land, surrounded by endless water. Your heart pounds like a stampede of elephants, threatening to crush your chest, yet you fight on—your body cutting through the waves as if you were born to swim. The wave roars closer, its pull dragging you backward, but you keep going. You know it’s futile—you can’t outrun it, no matter how hard you fight or how much adrenaline courses through you. Still, you resist, terrified of being swept away and drowned. You fight for minutes, days, weeks—time blurs into a primal urge to swim faster, run, survive.

Eventually, exhaustion overtakes you. Physically and mentally drained, you surrender. The wave yanks you under, spinning you in endless circles—up and down, left and right—fear your only companion. You hunker down, clinging to survival as you wonder how long the chaos will last. Suddenly, you break through the surface: free, utterly spent, unsure if exhaustion alone might finish you. Slowly, the wave recedes, taking the terror with it. Back in the calm waters, you breathe again. The sun returns, warming you until safety feels tangible once more.

Now imagine this wasn’t the ocean—it was your own mind, trapping you in its depths. Fear and anxiety cling to you, unwanted yet familiar. They’re the only constants, the only things you can’t escape, even as you hate them. This is what an anxiety attack feels like to me. For years, I’ve searched for ways to cope—healthier ways—with an anxiety disorder that makes everyday life feel debilitating, exhausting.

When I heard about hyperbarics, I knew I had to try it. I’m so grateful I did. It changed my life for the better. The weight of anxiety lifted from my chest, and daily tasks no longer feel insurmountable. I can leave my house, go shopping, eat, and shower without dreading them—without letting bad days stop me entirely. It makes life a little easier, no pill side effects included.