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Breaking Barriers: Social Anxiety in Yours Truly

Daniella Marchese

Written by Daniella Marchese

Edited by Taina Stuart


Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez is a love story between two doctors who recently started working together. The male main character, Jacob, expresses his struggles with social anxiety. Jimenez masterfully portrays the daily struggles of people with Social Anxiety Disorder, aligning with the criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). These include physical symptoms, such as a rapid heart rate, blushing, and shaking; behavioral challenges, such as difficulty talking to others or making eye contact; and emotional struggles, such as self-consciousness and excessive worry about social interactions (American Psychiatric Association, 2022). Jacob is easily lovable as Jimenez unravels his character throughout the book. This romance novel discusses the new relationship Jacob forms with a coworker. He struggles with confidence in talking to his love interest in person, so he writes her letters. This illustrates the struggles people with social anxiety experience concerning interpersonal relationships but illuminates how Jacob overcame this. His love interest, Briana, takes the time to understand Jacob. She learns how to accommodate for his mental illness, but also encourages him to break out of his shell. Jacob is also starting his new job at this hospital and struggles with making friends with his coworkers. Yet, he is still an amazing doctor and has great bedside manners. Briana also helps Jacob make friends with the nurses by telling him to bring cupcakes for the nurses to create a connection, which helps. This demonstrates how Jacob is still able to create a connection with his patients, even though he struggles in his personal life. Jimenez reduces the stigma around Social Anxiety Disorder by showing he can still be loved and productive as he navigates his new relationship and his profession as a doctor. Accurate portrayals of mental illness in media are important for reducing stigma. For people who struggle with mental illness, reading about familiar experiences can help them feel like part of a community and view their symptoms from an outside perspective. For people who don’t experience social anxiety, reading this novel can help instill empathy and understanding for those who live with anxiety.

References:


American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental 

Disorders (DSM-5-TR). American Psychiatric Association Publishing. 


Jimenez, A. (2023). Yours Truly (First edition.). Forever.

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