Photographer shows what anxiety looks like

Katie Joy Crawford, 23, has struggled with anxiety for over a decade. She says there were times when it was debilitating and staying in bed seemed far easier than facing the real world.

The recent Louisiana State University graduate says she decided to capture her struggle for her senior thesis exhibition. Crawford's photo series "My Anxious Heart," captures what her anxiety feels like through self portraits.

"I decided to explore what I was feeling and these intense emotions, and the symptoms that are both physical and mental of dealing with anxiety," Crawford says.

Crawford says to capture the emotions associated with panic attacks, she focused on identifying their triggers.

"It helped me cope more than I thought it would," Crawford says. "It was like I was gaining control of my life by identifying what induced panic in my life."

She says she hopes to continue exploring her anxiety through her photography.

Follow @Mary Bowerman on Twitter.