A Motswana-based Zimbabwean author and founder of All Things Anxiety Disorder, Charlotte Mugabe has opened up about her battle with anxiety and panic disorder, describing how a panic attack in 2023 changed her life and ultimately inspired her to help others facing similar struggles.
Mugabe said her experience began on 3 June 2023 when she suffered a panic attack that left her frightened and confused.
She said she initially struggled to understand what was happening to her because the physical and emotional symptoms made her feel as though she was in immediate danger.
“My body felt as though something terrible was happening, and I could not understand why. I thought I was in danger, even though I could not identify what the danger was,” she said.
The experience triggered a fear of having another panic attack leading Mugabe to avoid places and situations where she feared anxiety might return.
“The more I feared anxiety, the more power it seemed to have over me,” she said.
Mugabe was eventually diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder and also experienced agoraphobia – an anxiety condition that can involve an intense fear of situations or places where escape or help may be difficult.
She said receiving a diagnosis helped her put a name to what she was experiencing, but did not immediately eliminate the fear.
“There were days when getting through the day felt like an achievement,” she said.
The condition also affected her relationships and family life.
Mugabe said watching those close to her see her struggle was difficult while she sometimes blamed herself for being unable to fulfil the roles she believed she should.
“There were moments when I felt guilty because I was not the wife, mother, friend or person I believed I should be,” she said.
She also questioned whether she would ever regain the sense of normality she had before anxiety became a dominant part of her life.
But Mugabe said her recovery gradually began when she recognised that anxiety did not have to define her entire identity.
“I realised that although anxiety had become part of my story, it did not have to become the whole story,” she said.
She describes recovery as a gradual process involving small steps rather than a single breakthrough.
Mugabe said she learnt to understand her anxiety instead of constantly fighting or fearing it, identified some of her triggers and began challenging fears that had previously controlled her.
Medication was also part of her recovery which she said taught her that seeking professional help should not be viewed as a weakness.
“My healing did not happen overnight. It was a journey of small steps,” she said.
Faith also became an important source of strength for Mugabe during difficult periods.
She said the biblical verse Isaiah 41:10, which includes the words, “Do not fear, for I am with you,” helped her maintain hope when she could not see how her circumstances would improve.
“There were days when I could not see how things would get better, but I held on to the belief that my circumstances could change,” she said.
Mugabe said one of the biggest lessons she learnt was that recovery does not necessarily happen through dramatic changes.
“Sometimes healing looks like getting out of bed when you do not feel like it. Sometimes it is entering a place you once avoided,” she said.
“Sometimes it is sitting with an uncomfortable feeling and reminding yourself that you are safe. Sometimes it is simply choosing to try again tomorrow.”
Her experience eventually led her to write Living Beyond Anxiety, a book she says became part of her own healing process and an avenue through which she could reach people experiencing similar challenges.
Mugabe founded All Things Anxiety Disorder as part of her efforts to raise awareness and encourage conversations around anxiety and related conditions.
She said she was not presenting her experience as a universal solution to anxiety, but as a personal testimony for people who may feel trapped by fear.
“I am not sharing my story because I have discovered a perfect formula for overcoming anxiety. I share it because I know what it feels like to believe that you are trapped inside your own fear,” she said.
Looking back at her experience, Mugabe said she now views anxiety as one part of her story rather than the definition of who she is.
“The woman who once felt overwhelmed by anxiety is still me, but I am no longer defined by the things I went through,” she said.
She hopes her story and book will encourage people struggling with anxiety to seek support and recognise that difficult periods can change.
“If you are living with anxiety today, I want you to know this: you are not weak, you are not alone, and your current chapter does not have to be your final chapter. There can be life beyond fear. There can be hope beyond the panic. And sometimes, the journey back to yourself begins with one small step.” she said.