Hi all, my name is Elise Dumpert. I am currently a senior at New Albany High School in Ohio. As part of my Senior project I was given an opportunity to create a space dedicated to mental health and its resources. Let’s talk about it.
Currently in Ohio, lived in California, Oregon, and Massachusetts. I believe my relocations have exposed me to a variety of people and their interactions; part of the reason I became so interested in Psychology.
Why Psychology, especially mental health?
Growing up I was a nervous wreck, always worrying about talking to people, how a situation might end, never able to keep up a conversation. I remember stressing out about shaking hands with new people since my hands were always so clammy. I even went on WikiHow to learn how to carry a conversation. From my childhood, I believed this was typical.
In 9th grade, I called my mom. I could not figure out why my chest was so tight, my hands were still sweating, and why my breath was short. I was tired of being stressed and I didn’t know how to calm down.
That was the first time I had heard the word “anxiety.” For me, it was like a checklist,
stressed, check
panic attacks, check
worries about social situations, check
My mom told me that my family has a history of anxiety and that I could talk to a therapist to help me manage my emotions and reactions to events.
