#HighFiveForAnxiety Promotes Anxiety And Other Mental Health Issues Are Nothing To Be Ashamed Of
The hashtag #HighFiveForAnxiety made its way onto social media on Tuesday to promote individuals with anxiety, as well as other mental health issues. The purpose is to let people know that they should not be ashamed of having anxiety and that they are not alone.
#HighFiveForAnxiety was created by Laura Whitehurst, according to the Huffington Post, who works for Anxiety UK as a training and partnerships creator.
Since it was created on Tuesday, #HighFiveForAnxiety has gone viral and people from all over the world have taken pictures of themselves high-fiving on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts.
As a sufferer of anxiety herself, Whitehurst thought it was integral to bring awareness to anxiety and other mental health issues. As an employee of Anxiety UK, she also suffers from anxiety, as do all of the other employees. She started #HighFivesForAnxiety when her own anxiety levels rose as a result of a computer crash.
“My own personal anxiety wasn’t that great yesterday — mostly because our systems had crashed and I couldn’t get on with my work. So I decided to spread some love and positivity on Twitter, for #charitytuesday.”
She continued to by sharing why she chose #HighFiveForAnxiety.
“I decided to start a #highfiveforanxiety campaign, because sometimes, when you’re struggling, all you really want is for someone to say: ‘Hey, you’re doing great, hang in there, I’m rooting for you’ and that’s what the high five stands for.I tweeted our first high five and we received some lovely responses back, then Zoella picked it up and that was it… it really took off.”
According to Metro, #HighFiveForAnxiety has gone viral, giving faces to many individuals that suffer from anxiety, and bringing awareness to the condition.
@AnxietyUK #highfiveforanxiety pic.twitter.com/JIDy3Mmdnb
— Zoë (@ZozeeBo) September 22, 2015
Some of the #HighFiveForAnxiety did not come from humans, but instead from their pets that help them through the tough times.
I would do a #highfiveforanxiety but I have a fear of cameras, so high 5 from a cat instead ? @AnxietyUK #smallsteps pic.twitter.com/w60pLTvIMU — Kris C (@Misfitkris) September 23, 2015
Whitehurst is overwhelmed by the response she has received from the #HighFiveForAnxiety campaign, especially since it was an unplanned, spur of the moment decision.
“It’s amazing that everyone wants to come together to support each other – it really is a case of banishing that stigma and knowing that we’re all rooting for those living with anxiety everywhere to make it through,”
[Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images Sport]
