FASHION
VULNERABILITY IS THE NEW BLACK Written by Caitlyn Petrousek
1 in 4 people in the world are affected by mental
health disorders. I didn’t know until last year I would be part of this statistic. My mental health has never been a concern for me, until this year. As if 2020 was not hard enough, I was blessed with my Generalized Anxiety Disorder diagnosis. It happened so naturally while in a conversation with a close friend. I had opened up about this irrational fear I had that the tires on my car would fly off and I would end up in oncoming traffic injuring myself and others. Seriously though, my car is in incredible shape. Similar unwanted thoughts would follow, but the worst part was when I would wake up every day and my brain would tell me I don’t deserve to be here. I don’t deserve to be at an amazing college (Go Redbirds!), I don’t deserve to have supportive friends and an understanding boyfriend. I was my own worst enemy. It took about a week for me to budge and get an appointment with my school therapist. It took an immense amount of strength to be so vulnerable and open up to a complete stranger-but I did it! I got diagnosed and put on medicine that very first day. There are plenty of options as far as treatment goes. For me, medicine was the best option to help the chemical imbalance my body was facing.
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Each day comes with its own challenges and some days are harder than others. I remember to be patient, be vulnerable with my loved ones, and talk to myself like I would a best friend because that’s who I needed to be to myself. I needed to have a new outlet that I could turn to when I felt those thoughts getting dark. I chose fashion. Fast forward 9 months, I survived! I did it! I began looking up people on Instagram and screenshotting literally every outfit or piece of clothing I loved. I would put pieces together and buy new prints I wanted to try out and post my own pictures. Let me tell you, I have been feeling myself! There are so many different ways to style clothes and different body types and shades of the color purple. I will always have fashion by my side. Fashion motivates me to bring out my best side and strut my stuff like the world could end tomorrow. If there is one thing I want to leave you with, it’s a sense of comfort. Even on the darkest of days, you are not alone. Now put on your best denim jacket and be the best you, for you. ▪
