I will be the first to tell you that suffering from anxiety is far from fun. Every moment of every day, my brain works against me. I wonder if I have said something to offend someone if I was too awkward in a given situation. These are the things that bother me regularly. Sure, there is the medicine I can take, and do seek to try to curb it, but it’s not always enough. Every day I fight the desire to curl into a ball and cry because I am terrified that I have hurt someone else. Sometimes I cry and have no idea why I feel like I need too.

Lately, however, I have found a way to work through some of this frustration. You see, I, like a lot of people, spend a good deal of time on Facebook. I’m sure—like a lot of other people, you’ve seen advertisements for groups and pages and thought about joining. Perhaps you are even a member of a few. For someone with anxiety like mine, this is a huge step. Most of the people in these groups are relative strangers. They don’t know me, and I don’t know them.

However, the site that I found was based on Harry Potter. I happen to be a huge Harry Potter fan. So I took the plunge and joined. From the moment I set foot in TCUTS (The Cupboard Under The Stairs), I have found a second home. I was given a chance to join a Hogwarts house, and from there have made some fantastic friendships with many of the people there. We all have one thing in common: our love for a book series. They also offer classes where you can learn more about characters and subjects that may have only been briefly touched upon in the books or the movies.

Through this site, I have also found a way to work through my anxiety. I was recently allowed to join the staff there and use my creative talents to help build up my self-esteem. Not only have I joined the team, but I took the plunge and joined classes. The dedication and love of this fandom that these people have is marvelous. Though, here’s to hoping I ace my N.E.W.T.S like I did my O.W.L.S and become a Slytherin Graduate.

I recommend that everyone take a chance and find a group that they can join. Not every group is going to be laid out with the same care and dedication that this site is, but you might find one. Take the chance and let them be encouraging. I do not regret my choice, even if I felt overwhelmed at first. It is these small steps that are what is helping me get over my anxiety—one tiny little hurdle at a time. That is all we can take, one step at a time.