Joshua's Story
Joshua shares his journey of overcoming anxiety through medication, community, and faith, along with launching a clothing brand supporting men's mental health.
"MEDICATION...ALLOWED ME TO RESET MY BODY AND USE IT AS A TOOL TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN THINK RATIONALLY."
About Joshua:
My name is Joshua Woodall, and I recently graduated from Wheaton College with a major in communications and a minor in Chinese. I currently work with my father at Rootstock, which is focused on executive leadership coaching and development for all sorts of businesses.
This past year, I launched a clothing brand focusing on men’s mental health. The brand is called Suffering in Silence, or SiS for short. Our purpose is to shine a light on those who suffer in silence. With high-quality clothing, resources, and testimonials, we aim to bring awareness to those around us who may be struggling.
WHAT WAS THE MAJOR TURNING POINT IN YOUR RECOVERY FROM ANXIETY?
My central turning point in my recovery from anxiety was finally admitting that I needed help. I was very strong-willed and tried to muscle through everything, but after many events that caused me to crash, I realized I needed to get help. Another thing that did help me was talking to my doctor about medications, and that has allowed me to get on the right track.
WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT REALLY HELPED?
- Being open with my friends and family: People supporting me allowed me to take that first step.
- Medication: I was not a believer in medication; however, it allowed me to reset my body and use it as a tool to get to a place where I can think rationally
- Faith: I am an open Christian, and I doubled down on my faith during the hard times to carry me through. Without God’s grace, I would not be here today.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO OTHER GUYS FIGHTING ANXIETY?
I would say to other guys who are fighting with anxiety to slow down and take a breath. We have a lot of pressure from everyone all the time. The next thing I would offer is to not suffer in silence. We are not strong enough to go through things alone, so finding a community or just being open to the one you have will help you fight these battles with people who love and care for you.
The last thing I would say is to be optimistic. Oftentimes, when it seems like everything is going wrong in my life and creates a spiral of anxiety, I go and pray, and I think about how each situation will only make me more robust, and it is a part of my testimony.
– Joshua Woodall, Warrenville, Illinois, USA 