Imagine waking up in the morning and being afraid to get out of bed.

Wondering if what you fear is real or just part of your imagination, is a feeling Chantelle Frock knows all too well.

Unfortunately Frock deals with anxiety everyday of her life. She is a student attending the University of Lethbridge.

“Sometimes it is an hour-to-hour struggle, not just ‘can I get through this day,’” says Frock.

Some people may perceive certain situations to be more dangerous than they actually are.

“Sometimes I can’t tell what is real and what my anxiety has made up,” says Frock.

According to Statistics Canada, social phobia is an anxiety disorder in which the individual fears situations in which they can be judged by others.

“If I arrive even 10 minutes late for a class, I will end up skipping that class instead of dealing with the anxiety of walking in late,” said Frock.

She adds that it is really important to self-regulate those thoughts.

“If I can’t tell sometimes, it is best for me to call someone and ask them if it is real or my anxiety.”

Child mental health therapist Lorene Edwards says anxiety can prevent people from trying things that can help them overcome it.

“Anxiety with the proper treatment and medication can be overcome,” says Edwards.

According to Statistics Canada, one in four Canadians will have at least one anxiety disorder in their lifetime.

Some 3.4 per cent of the Canadian population experiences disorders at serious and chronic levels which interfere significantly with quality of life and the ability to function in academic, occupational and social contexts.

Lethbridge College offers a 24-hour counseling service for those suffering with any ailments.