Learning to Ask for Help: My Struggle with Anxiety and Finding Support

Growing up, I always dealt with anxiety, but it started to get harder to manage as I got older. It affected everything—my focus in school, my relationships with friends, and even just getting through the day. On top of that, being a guy made it even more complicated. There’s this expectation that men should be tough, that we’re not supposed to talk about our feelings or ask for help. For a long time, I tried to push through it on my own, thinking I just needed to “man up.”

That all started to change when I found out about a program through The New York Foundling that had a full-time therapist at my school. It was a game changer. The best part was that it didn’t cost anything. I didn’t need to worry about appointments after school or how I was going to pay for it. Just knowing that there was someone there, during the school day, who I could talk to made a huge difference.

I didn’t get a clinical diagnosis, but just being able to talk things through with someone made me feel less alone and more in control of my anxiety. The therapist helped me figure out ways to cope, and I started to feel more like myself again.

Looking back, I can’t help but think how important it is to have mental health services easily available. The stigma around men and mental health is real, but I’ve learned that asking for help doesn’t make you weak. It’s actually the smartest thing you can do for yourself.

Baksh, Hakeem, NY