• Apply
  • Archives
  • NewsWatch
  • Classifieds
  • Multimedia
    • Ole Miss in Puerto Rico
    • Campus Protests
    • The Queen of Marks
    • Meet Aubrey Armstrong, a Real Champion and Local Celebrity
    • Mississippi voters passed Initiative 65. What’s next?
    • One year later: COVID-19 at Ole Miss
    • “It’s Just Not Fair”: One Woman’s Fight For Access to Community Water
    • A way with words
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
No Result
View All Result
The Daily Mississippian
  • News
    • All
    • Associated Student Body
    Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

    Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

    University cuts support for Oxford Pride

    University cuts support for Oxford Pride

    ASB expands legislative council, elects Wesley Templet president pro tempore

    ASB expands legislative council, elects Wesley Templet president pro tempore

    What goes into making Commencement happen for 5,500 graduates?

    What goes into making Commencement happen for 5,500 graduates?

    Stamps Impact Prize awarded to 15 students

    Stamps Impact Prize awarded to 15 students

    MPower sets on a new path amid low attendance

    MPower sets on a new path amid low attendance

  • Sports
    • All
    • Game Recap
    House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

    House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

    Ole Miss Softball takes series against Missouri

    Ole Miss Softball advances to World Series for first time in program history

    Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

    Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

    Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

    Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

    Ole Miss Softball dominates Rocket City Softball Showcase

    Ole Miss Softball battles through SEC Tournament

    Ole Miss softball falls to No. 1 Tennessee

    Ole Miss softball falls to No. 1 Tennessee

  • Arts & Culture
    Seniors cement their campus legacy with a brick

    Seniors cement their campus legacy with a brick

    Student photographers capture picture-perfect graduation moments

    Student photographers capture picture-perfect graduation moments

    Julien Baker & TORRES ‘send a prayer’ to Oxford

    Julien Baker & TORRES ‘send a prayer’ to Oxford

    Double Decker 28 rocks the Square

    Double Decker 28 rocks the Square

    Grove trees cared for by the Department of Landscaping Services. Photo courtesy: Jillian Russell

    An ode to campus trees and those who care for them

    ‘Sinners’ falls flat on first watch

    ‘Sinners’ falls flat on first watch

  • Opinion
    • All
    • Ask a Philosopher
    • Diary of a Black Girl
    • From The Editorial Board
    • Lavender Letters
    • Letters to the editor
    lavender letters graphic, a purple envelope with a purple letter, "lavender letters" is written in bold black font on the letter

    Lavender Letters: senior sign-off

    Diary of a Black Girl: senior sign-off

    Diary of a Black Girl: senior sign-off

    Opinion: How to avoid summertime sadness

    Opinion: How to avoid summertime sadness

    Ask a Philosopher: How do I quell my public speaking fears?

    Ask a Philosopher: Why do other people not understand me?

    A farewell from Opinion Editor Justice Rose

    A farewell from Opinion Editor Justice Rose

    Why evangelical Christians need to feel the heat on climate change

    Why evangelical Christians need to feel the heat on climate change

  • Special Projects
    • All
    • It's a Whole New Ball Game
    • Jordan Center Symposium
    • Rising Tides & Temperatures

    Jordan Center debuts with symposium addressing impact of social media, AI on democracy

    Richard Lui: News media must not make same mistakes with AI that it did with social media

    Elise Jordan: Artificial Intelligence will completely transform world

    Elise Jordan: Artificial Intelligence will completely transform world

    danah boyd: Journalism connects people in a healthy social fabric

    danah boyd: Journalism connects people in a healthy social fabric

    Meetali Jain holds Big Tech accountable

    Meetali Jain holds Big Tech accountable

    Dana Milbank asks, ‘Can free press survive the Trump era?’

    Dana Milbank asks, ‘Can free press survive the Trump era?’

  • Print / e-Editions
  • About Us
    • Applications
    • Advertise
      • Advertise with Us
      • Classifieds
    • Contact
    • Editorial Board
    • Policies
    • Daily Mississippian Staff 2025-26
  • News
    • All
    • Associated Student Body
    Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

    Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

    University cuts support for Oxford Pride

    University cuts support for Oxford Pride

    ASB expands legislative council, elects Wesley Templet president pro tempore

    ASB expands legislative council, elects Wesley Templet president pro tempore

    What goes into making Commencement happen for 5,500 graduates?

    What goes into making Commencement happen for 5,500 graduates?

    Stamps Impact Prize awarded to 15 students

    Stamps Impact Prize awarded to 15 students

    MPower sets on a new path amid low attendance

    MPower sets on a new path amid low attendance

  • Sports
    • All
    • Game Recap
    House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

    House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

    Ole Miss Softball takes series against Missouri

    Ole Miss Softball advances to World Series for first time in program history

    Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

    Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

    Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

    Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

    Ole Miss Softball dominates Rocket City Softball Showcase

    Ole Miss Softball battles through SEC Tournament

    Ole Miss softball falls to No. 1 Tennessee

    Ole Miss softball falls to No. 1 Tennessee

  • Arts & Culture
    Seniors cement their campus legacy with a brick

    Seniors cement their campus legacy with a brick

    Student photographers capture picture-perfect graduation moments

    Student photographers capture picture-perfect graduation moments

    Julien Baker & TORRES ‘send a prayer’ to Oxford

    Julien Baker & TORRES ‘send a prayer’ to Oxford

    Double Decker 28 rocks the Square

    Double Decker 28 rocks the Square

    Grove trees cared for by the Department of Landscaping Services. Photo courtesy: Jillian Russell

    An ode to campus trees and those who care for them

    ‘Sinners’ falls flat on first watch

    ‘Sinners’ falls flat on first watch

  • Opinion
    • All
    • Ask a Philosopher
    • Diary of a Black Girl
    • From The Editorial Board
    • Lavender Letters
    • Letters to the editor
    lavender letters graphic, a purple envelope with a purple letter, "lavender letters" is written in bold black font on the letter

    Lavender Letters: senior sign-off

    Diary of a Black Girl: senior sign-off

    Diary of a Black Girl: senior sign-off

    Opinion: How to avoid summertime sadness

    Opinion: How to avoid summertime sadness

    Ask a Philosopher: How do I quell my public speaking fears?

    Ask a Philosopher: Why do other people not understand me?

    A farewell from Opinion Editor Justice Rose

    A farewell from Opinion Editor Justice Rose

    Why evangelical Christians need to feel the heat on climate change

    Why evangelical Christians need to feel the heat on climate change

  • Special Projects
    • All
    • It's a Whole New Ball Game
    • Jordan Center Symposium
    • Rising Tides & Temperatures

    Jordan Center debuts with symposium addressing impact of social media, AI on democracy

    Richard Lui: News media must not make same mistakes with AI that it did with social media

    Elise Jordan: Artificial Intelligence will completely transform world

    Elise Jordan: Artificial Intelligence will completely transform world

    danah boyd: Journalism connects people in a healthy social fabric

    danah boyd: Journalism connects people in a healthy social fabric

    Meetali Jain holds Big Tech accountable

    Meetali Jain holds Big Tech accountable

    Dana Milbank asks, ‘Can free press survive the Trump era?’

    Dana Milbank asks, ‘Can free press survive the Trump era?’

  • Print / e-Editions
  • About Us
    • Applications
    • Advertise
      • Advertise with Us
      • Classifieds
    • Contact
    • Editorial Board
    • Policies
    • Daily Mississippian Staff 2025-26
No Result
View All Result
The Daily Mississippian
No Result
View All Result

Column: Anxiety on screen: ‘This Is Us’ accurately portrays panic attacks

Lexi PurvisbyLexi Purvis
April 12, 2018
Reading Time: 3 mins read

The problem with trying to describe anxiety is that it’s completely and utterly indescribable.

It’s that feeling when you’re sitting a little too far back in a chair, and it begins to tip over but you catch yourself before you fall. Your heart is racing, but you can’t seem to calm down, even though you never actually fell. That feeling of pure panic completely consuming your thoughts and entire body – that’s what it’s like to have a panic attack – sometimes lasts for hours or even days.

I was diagnosed with a generalized and social anxiety disorder when I was about 16, and at the time, I didn’t really know what that meant. As I got older, the panic attacks began to increase, and I became familiar with the debilitating pattern. People often believe panic attacks are for individuals who have some kind of specific fear, whether it’s heights or public speaking, but that’s not always the case.

Courtesy Huffington Post

There have been many occasions when I would be going about my day, feeling completely normal, and all of a sudden, I’d feel as if my brain had completely disconnected from my body. My heart would begin to race, I’d start hyperventilating and I would be consumed with paralyzing fear, despite nothing scary actually happening. Basically, my brain goes into fight-or-flight mode for no reason, and I can’t eat, sleep or talk. Sometimes I can’t even walk when it gets bad enough. These random episodes of anxiety have resulted in me being unable to leave my bed or even talk to anybody for hours or days at a time, which is something incredibly out of character for me. I’ve had to miss class because of these episodes, and this generally results in more anxiety – what teacher is going to believe I had to miss class for an anxiety disorder?

It’s hard to explain anxiety to someone who doesn’t have to deal with it. I’ve never been able to put into words exactly how it feels until I watched an episode of NBC’s hit show “This Is Us.” One of the main characters of the show, a successful African-American man named Randall, was adopted into a white family after being left in a fire station as as a newborn. Despite the rough start to his life, Randall becomes a brilliant man who eventually has his own family, a gorgeous house and his dream car. In one episode, Randall is attending his famous brother’s play when he becomes completely disconnected and walks out of the theater. Randall’s brother, Kevin, notices him leaving and knows what is about to happen. Kevin follows Randall to his office, where Randall, a tall, strong man, is curled up on the floor hyperventilating, crying and completely vulnerable. Kevin holds Randall as they wait out the panic attack together.

This moment in television was monumental – not only to me but also to the 40 million Americans who struggle with anxiety disorders, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Watching a capable, strong man like Randall become completely helpless in a state of utter terror was something that even I, a 21-year-old college student, can relate to all too well. This scene represented a moment that many who suffer from anxiety disorders have experience numerous times.

I remember watching the episode with my mom, who’s spent countless hours holding me as I sob and hyperventilate during my anxiety attacks while my brain tears itself apart, and she was also brought to tears. The pain that was so accurately depicted in “This Is Us” is real, and we’ve lived through it too many times.

For anyone who knows what it’s like to be completely helpless and have all the oxygen violently escape your lungs because your anxiety has completely taken over, I encourage you to watch this episode from “This Is Us.” I encourage you to talk about these struggles, and I encourage you to keep going.

Though life is hard and having an anxiety disorder is extremely difficult to cope with, there are resources available to help you through it. It cannot be done alone. Having a support system to be there for you – like Kevin is there for Randall – is incredibly important for overcoming anxiety attacks. For me, my best friend and my family, especially my mom, have been my support through this never-ending battle. Even if they can’t cure your anxiety, it’s easier to survive the loneliness of having an anxiety attack when comforted by someone you love.

In Case You Missed It

House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

1 month ago
Ole Miss Softball takes series against Missouri

Ole Miss Softball advances to World Series for first time in program history

1 month ago
Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

2 months ago
Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

2 months ago
Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

2 months ago
Ole Miss Softball dominates Rocket City Softball Showcase

Ole Miss Softball battles through SEC Tournament

2 months ago

Column: Anxiety on screen: ‘This Is Us’ accurately portrays panic attacks

Lexi PurvisbyLexi Purvis
April 12, 2018
Reading Time: 3 mins read

The problem with trying to describe anxiety is that it’s completely and utterly indescribable.

It’s that feeling when you’re sitting a little too far back in a chair, and it begins to tip over but you catch yourself before you fall. Your heart is racing, but you can’t seem to calm down, even though you never actually fell. That feeling of pure panic completely consuming your thoughts and entire body – that’s what it’s like to have a panic attack – sometimes lasts for hours or even days.

I was diagnosed with a generalized and social anxiety disorder when I was about 16, and at the time, I didn’t really know what that meant. As I got older, the panic attacks began to increase, and I became familiar with the debilitating pattern. People often believe panic attacks are for individuals who have some kind of specific fear, whether it’s heights or public speaking, but that’s not always the case.

Courtesy Huffington Post

There have been many occasions when I would be going about my day, feeling completely normal, and all of a sudden, I’d feel as if my brain had completely disconnected from my body. My heart would begin to race, I’d start hyperventilating and I would be consumed with paralyzing fear, despite nothing scary actually happening. Basically, my brain goes into fight-or-flight mode for no reason, and I can’t eat, sleep or talk. Sometimes I can’t even walk when it gets bad enough. These random episodes of anxiety have resulted in me being unable to leave my bed or even talk to anybody for hours or days at a time, which is something incredibly out of character for me. I’ve had to miss class because of these episodes, and this generally results in more anxiety – what teacher is going to believe I had to miss class for an anxiety disorder?

It’s hard to explain anxiety to someone who doesn’t have to deal with it. I’ve never been able to put into words exactly how it feels until I watched an episode of NBC’s hit show “This Is Us.” One of the main characters of the show, a successful African-American man named Randall, was adopted into a white family after being left in a fire station as as a newborn. Despite the rough start to his life, Randall becomes a brilliant man who eventually has his own family, a gorgeous house and his dream car. In one episode, Randall is attending his famous brother’s play when he becomes completely disconnected and walks out of the theater. Randall’s brother, Kevin, notices him leaving and knows what is about to happen. Kevin follows Randall to his office, where Randall, a tall, strong man, is curled up on the floor hyperventilating, crying and completely vulnerable. Kevin holds Randall as they wait out the panic attack together.

This moment in television was monumental – not only to me but also to the 40 million Americans who struggle with anxiety disorders, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Watching a capable, strong man like Randall become completely helpless in a state of utter terror was something that even I, a 21-year-old college student, can relate to all too well. This scene represented a moment that many who suffer from anxiety disorders have experience numerous times.

I remember watching the episode with my mom, who’s spent countless hours holding me as I sob and hyperventilate during my anxiety attacks while my brain tears itself apart, and she was also brought to tears. The pain that was so accurately depicted in “This Is Us” is real, and we’ve lived through it too many times.

For anyone who knows what it’s like to be completely helpless and have all the oxygen violently escape your lungs because your anxiety has completely taken over, I encourage you to watch this episode from “This Is Us.” I encourage you to talk about these struggles, and I encourage you to keep going.

Though life is hard and having an anxiety disorder is extremely difficult to cope with, there are resources available to help you through it. It cannot be done alone. Having a support system to be there for you – like Kevin is there for Randall – is incredibly important for overcoming anxiety attacks. For me, my best friend and my family, especially my mom, have been my support through this never-ending battle. Even if they can’t cure your anxiety, it’s easier to survive the loneliness of having an anxiety attack when comforted by someone you love.

In Case You Missed It

House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

House v. NCAA settlements gets approved, universities can now directly pay athletes

1 month ago
Ole Miss Softball takes series against Missouri

Ole Miss Softball advances to World Series for first time in program history

1 month ago
Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

Ole Miss Baseball wins big at home against UT Martin

2 months ago
Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

Is the university getting closer to a cap on admissions?

2 months ago
Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

Ole Miss Baseball falters on the road against in-state rival

2 months ago
Ole Miss Softball dominates Rocket City Softball Showcase

Ole Miss Softball battles through SEC Tournament

2 months ago

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Mississippi Press Association
Sign up for our weekly newsletter!
  • News
  • Sports
  • Arts & Culture
  • Opinion
  • Special Projects
  • Print / e-Editions
  • About Us
    • Applications
    • Advertise
      • Advertise with Us
      • Classifieds
    • Contact
    • Editorial Board
    • Policies
    • Daily Mississippian Staff 2025-26

All Rights Reserved to S. Gale Denley Student Media Center 2019

Republish this article

Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Unless otherwise noted, you can republish most of The Daily Mississippian’s stories for free under a Creative Commons license.

For digital publications:
Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the HTML code and paste it into your Content Management System (CMS).
Editorial cartoons and photo essays are not included under the Creative Commons license and therefore do not have the "Republish This Story" button option. To learn more about our cartoon syndication services, click here.
You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style.
You can’t sell or syndicate our stories.
Any website our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization.
If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @thedailymississippian on Facebook and @thedm_news on X (formerly Twitter).

For print publications:
You have to credit The Daily Mississippian. We prefer “Author Name, The Daily Mississippian” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by The Daily Mississippian” and include our website, thedmonline.com.
You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style.
You cannot republish our editorial cartoons, photographs, illustrations or graphics without specific permission (contact our managing editor Michael Guidry for more information). To learn more about our cartoon syndication services, click here.
Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories.
You can’t sell or syndicate our stories.
You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection.
Any website our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization.
If you have any other questions, contact the Student Media Center at Ole Miss.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Sports
  • Arts & Culture
  • Opinion
  • Special Projects
  • Print / e-Editions
  • About Us
    • Applications
    • Advertise
      • Advertise with Us
      • Classifieds
    • Contact
    • Editorial Board
    • Policies
    • Daily Mississippian Staff 2025-26

All Rights Reserved to S. Gale Denley Student Media Center 2019

-
00:00
00:00

Queue

Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00