Grip the door handle, opening with reluctance
Entering foreign territory to the mind
Walk to the booth, shaken to the core
From the cold and sudden fear

Family reads the specials for today
Chowder, cheese, chocolate ganache
Trembling with each word that graces my ears
Time for the great escape

Lavatory, my sanctuary
Nauseating emaciation
Bile burning deep inside
No room to breathe

Return to my place
Still quivering and uneasy
Another visit to Pat’s Diner
Will undoubtedly kill me

Hey it’s Mary! I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Generalized Anxiety two years ago. It was a scary journey to my diagnosis, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It has not only made me a stronger person, but it has allowed me to be more vulnerable. I hope, with that vulnerability, I can help others’ who struggle with the same disorder.