I'm Sierra, and I know I'm only 13, but I still think I should share my story. When I was little, I used to obsess over random things, like traffic lights, store alarms (or beepers, as I called them), exhaust pipes, and light bulbs. Now I'm obsessed over buildings, roller coasters, and dinosaurs. I also rock back and forth and do not like social situations.
I was also diagnosed with severe anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, and also depression and sensory integration disorder. I started having panic attacks in first grade, but they weren't very obvious and no one (including me) realized it was anxiety until fourth grade, when I went to New Jersey and came back and started having extreme panic attacks, one lasting over two hours in the middle of the night. I was afraid to eat and soon I was losing so much weight I almost went into the hospital. It wasn't until I got tested that we all discovered I had pervasive developmental disorder, a form of high-functioning autism.
I was put on medication and for three years everything was fine, until seventh grade (where I'm currently at) when I relapsed. I started having panic attacks again and couldn't go to school, so I had to be homebound for six weeks before I finally went back.
But soon I overcame my anxiety and won a medal for taking the Duke TIP 7th Grade Talent Search ACT Test, which is a test designed for twelfth graders. I also plan to become a paleontologist or archaeologist when I grow up.
Apex, NC