Laura Dowling

But because some people that would experience, say, even like low level anxiety in their teens...

would just naturally gravitate towards drinking or cannabis and the cannabis can really calm that mind but then there's the

I was very afraid.

But then they become dependent on it.

So that can be an issue.

Oh yeah, Van the Vaccine.

And then I changed to Prozac.

How did you find changing?

Because it can be a very difficult drug to come off in terms of side effects.

Were you not on it for long enough?

That's why you've written the book and you're doing this.

Did you see psychologists then subsequently and get counselling?

And I do acknowledge that there is... So I know that your child, your son has autism and this PDA, but in a way, you can probably understand how he feels with regards to the safety and the anxiety and all that, because you have your lived experience of it too.

And what are the things that you wish that you'd known about anxiety?

I know you've written extensively about it in the book, but if there was someone listening today, say, and they just need to hear, so you've discussed the CBT, you've discussed the being kind and compassionate to yourself.

I was going to ask you, do you find being out in nature or that exercise helps you, like physical exercise?

Because it's almost that with anxiety, you're too much in your head and you need to get into your body.

Do you find scrolling on social media bad for you?

As in, do you actually have to make a conscious effort to just put the phone down?

I like the way you answered that instead of going, yeah, social media is shite, you shouldn't be on it.