In July 2018, Lori Hoxha posted a peaceful photo of herself drinking coffee on a boat to create the idea of a relaxing day at sea. In fact not. In a post on Instagram Stories, Lori writes:
"This is my favorite picture. This was one of the most difficult periods of anxiety in my life and being in a boat scared me immensely because I didn't have access to a hospital and if you suffer from anxiety / panic you understand very well what I'm talking about. ?
She adds that "she was not enjoying anything" and the photo has nothing to do with what she was experiencing at the time. "We are not what we look like or what we post. I may feel like I'm living the best time of my life, but all I was looking for was a little bit of peace. "
It?s not the first time Lori has talked about mental health problems.
"Listen, it's not easy to talk about something like that and you know how much I judge what I do and what I say," she said in September 2019 on Instagram. "But reading your messages and the fact that I can help someone make me feel good. Don?t take social media too seriously, get from what you need. Talking about such a problem is not the way to get attention. I can easily pick it up with a bikini photo. I know my photos are cute and I take the time to cure them, but sometimes I feel like I'm not using my platform to show who I really am. "
"Social networks are destroying and becoming a vicious circle over looking good, taking pictures, getting likes, feeling good for a few moments and I really don't want that anymore. So if I can throw it away light on something, I want it to be for mental health, ?Lori concluded.
At the time, she answered a series of questions from followers on Instagram, all about anxiety:
What causes anxiety?
"I do not know what causes it, at first. I experienced panic attack for the first time in 2012, all of a sudden. Now I think it's because of the fear of health and a lot of thinking. "
Have you had any physical symptoms? For a long time, I felt a tightness in my chest.
"Yes !!! That bothered me. For me it was impossible for anxiety to have [physical] pain and I had even more anxiety because every time I experienced a new symptom, I thought it had to do with something more serious. Symptoms: trouble breathing, blurred vision, hot or cold sensation, body tremors, dry mouth, uncontrolled heartbeat, dizziness, abdominal pain, leg pain and many more. At some point, I thought I had sclerosis, cancer, or a brain tumor.
More medication?
"I did not take daily medications, but I had a sedative with me all the time in case of a panic attack. I have always tried to avoid medications because I believed in the strength of my brain and body, but sometimes the hormone that is missing in the body and causing this disease must be kept under control. Of course I am not a doctor and you should always consult a doctor. I'm just talking about my experience. "
What support did you get from relatives?
"I needed everyone to know what I was going through, which made me feel more secure. My little sister suffers from anxiety as well and just communicating with her makes me think that such a feeling is ?normal?. I think the most important thing when you have a mental health problem is to think it's normal and someone else has experienced it and understands what's going on. Whenever I feel bad, I talk to him or to the people around me. It makes me feel good. Note: If you know someone who has had this problem, just talk to them. ?
When did you first experience anxiety? Before my twenties, I had no idea what anxiety was.
"In 2012. I was in a beauty salon and I thought I was having a heart attack and I ran to the hospital. No one told me I had a panic attack and made several visits to hospitals for eight months in a row. It sounds like I left home. I dropped out of school. I thought I had a rare disease and the doctors weren?t finding out what I had until one day I searched Google for my symptoms and found forums for panic attack and anxiety. There I found myself. Then I knew what I had and started educating myself. I have been suffering from anxiety ever since. The most difficult period was 2012 and last summer. "
Did you consult a psychologist?
"Yes. Talking to someone helps. ?
I worry more than I should. Any advice?
"I do something else. Watch a movie or tv. I see 'Friends'. Go to the gym or start meditating. Download an application called 'Headspace' and test if it works for you. "
Is there a specific place where you experience the most anxiety?
"Public places, closed places or anywhere else where I think I can't handle a certain situation."
Have you discovered what causes anxiety?
"It simply came to our notice then. I think it's genetic and / or traumatic. I don't care why. I understand that there is no reason to ask 'why me?', So instead I focus on what I can do to help myself. "
Does it ever eventually go away or appear in different periods of life?
"I do not know. Maybe there are people who have that good luck. It comes back to me from time to time and I believe this is my destiny. ?
Don't you think he's exaggerating?
"It simply came to our notice then. In fact, I don't think you should judge a situation you haven't gone through, and I also think that people like you and such thoughts are the reason why people in our society close in on themselves and don't feel free to talk about such problems. as a result, they suffer more and more. Because it doesn?t come out in the analysis and if you don?t see the doctor in the echo, doesn?t it exist or not? Edukohu.
How can someone who seems to have a perfect life have these problems?
"It simply came to our notice then. No one has a perfect life. It takes a fraction of a second to take a picture. You don't see them for the next 24 hours. "
