“She says it's like a switch - a big red PANIC switch - gets flipped in my headand I can't turn it off.She says we're going to figure outhow to turn it off.”

“When kids make gross face,parents say, "One dayyour face is going to stick like that."I'm afraid that one daymy panic's going to stickand it's going to be my entire life,every second,and there will be nothing else.”

“I can't believeno one else can hearI am screaminginside my head.Things are moving too fast. I am going to die.I am going to die. I am going to die.My hands are shaking.I try to squeeze them, try to make it stop,but now my fists are shaking,and this shaking is working it's way through me.It must look like I am having a fit.I want to let the scream out, but I think if I start, I'll never stop.It's not supposed to be like this.I am too young to die. I don't know how to make this end,and if it doesn't, I'll have to go to the hospital,be medicated, force-fed soft foods.I don't want to be that person.I am not that person.I am not. I am not.”

“I am in a house. I am in one room and my anxiety is in another. It's close. I can feel it. I can go to it. But I won't.”

“But waiting is killing me. Don't they understand? Don't they remember what it feels like? I want to have things settled. I can't stand the idea of not knowing.”

“Most days I go home cryingand my dad tells mewelcome to the real world.”

“Where you areand what you are doingis something you have donedozens of times beforewithout any problemsRecognize that you are going to get out of thisthat you always get out of thisthat you are going to livethat you won't go crazyI am telling you that you will live,because you always live,because you are strongand beautiful.”