Heavy breathing. No oxygen can make its way to the brain. Palms sweating. Nails in mouth, getting chewed off by the second. Worries and concerns fill up her brain, bursting at the seams. No music is loud enough to block out these thoughts. For Kiley Butcher, this has been a way of life since the beginning.

“Now, we look back at it, and we’re like ‘Oh my god; you had anxiety,’” she said.

Even as a preschooler, Butcher had experienced hesitation in making new friends and being in unfamiliar situations.

“All of her report cards lined up with the definition of anxiety, and what we thought were fears, shyness, nervousness—were all her living with anxiety,” said her mother, Kelly Butcher.

Butcher believes that even though anxiety is like a “newborn child, constantly craving attention,” she has found that her anxiety has forced her to grow in terms of being organized and maintaining a strict schedule. Always being ahead of schedule helps; as does getting assignments done in advance and trying to be prepared for any situation. These are only a number of the habits she’s implemented into her lifestyle to try and reduce anxiety-inducing situations. In addition to incorporating these factors into her routine, Butcher advises that a proper breathing pattern is key to limiting anxious attacks.

“I try to use meditation apps as much as I can to help me keep my breathing stable,” Kiley said. “If I can’t use an app, I will breathe in for five seconds and out for ten.”

As well as learning how to manage and navigate her own anxiety, Butcher is an advocate for mental health as a whole. Although she claims to be no expert, she believes that being able to talk with others about worries and struggles is crucial.

“We are very open about her anxiety in hopes that she knows it is okay, and she is okay. We will deal with it and help her live her best life,” Butcher’s mother said.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, one in eight children are affected by an anxiety disorder, and only 60 percent of these kids will seek treatment options. Butcher says that attending therapy has been extremely helpful and that no one should have to deal with these situations alone.

When asked about her career and life goals, Butcher says that she wishes to pursue a career as a pediatric oncologist in the medical field. This past summer, she attended a volunteer camp at the University of Iowa Hospitals for an immersive program that taught her about the building blocks of a hospital.

“That wasn’t good on me at first,” Butcher said. “It was a big hospital. I had to walk around by myself, and not knowing was the hardest thing.”

Eventually, Butcher adapted and learned how to navigate the new situation, but the struggle was in the unfamiliarity of her surroundings.

Butcher believes that the first step to getting better is accepting what’s really going on. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It took me a while to accept that I have bad anxiety. I didn’t want to believe it.” she said. “As soon as I got help, I found outlets that showed me it was okay to have this mental illness.”