There’s a point in everyone’s life when we become nervous, uneasy and worried about uncertain outcomes of things. That my friend is called ‘anxiety’ or being ‘anxious’.
I was invited to attend a session witnessing the launch of Project Hope under the group Anxiety Anonymous. There was a panel of speakers including Sana Zehra, Dr. Imran Majeed, Ahsan Bari, Khalid Malik, Varah Mussavir and Yousuf Bashir Qureshi.
Sharing few points from the panel at the Project Hope launch, including public influencers Khalid Malik and Ahsan Bari, success is no panacea for depression. By being vulnerable enough to share their journeys, they are living proof that a healthy life is possible, no matter how low you have felt.
“I felt anxiety and depression before I had the words to identify them,” said Dreen Anwar, the founder of Anxiety Anonymous, an online awareness mental health Facebook group that has allowed people to connect and share their experiences and anxieties.
The group is now branching out, and seeking solutions with weekly support sessions, in the form of Project Hope, where one can express their feelings without fear of judgement by learning coping mechanisms from each other.
The sessions are an opportunity to be heard but also to listen. The articulate Varah Mussavir, who spoke at length, noted that many of the people she has encountered simply need to speak their heart out to a kind ear. Those with clinical issues may seek professional therapy and medication, but all of us need personal connections.
These weekly sessions will be held every Thursday at The Second Floor (T2F) and are open to anyone who wishes to attend.
