I woke up to social media feeds filled with 9/11 tributes, a lot of them about the search and rescue dogs who worked tirelessly alongside their handlers and rescue crews.

Today is also R U OK? day in Australia. The R U OK? Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to encouraging all people to regularly and meaningfully ask are you ok? to support those struggling with life.

I haven’t been OK. I am now, with the help of medication. It’s been a couple of months so far and hopefully won’t be more than a few more months before I can kiss my morning ritual of little white tablet goodbye. What’s been wrong with me? Anxiety. It got so bad at one point that I started to cry and couldn’t stop. Which is okay. Except it kind of wasn’t because I was sitting in my office. It was that moment when I realised I wasn’t going to be okay if I didn’t go and talk to someone.

So off to the doctor I went. We had a good chat and he suggested it might be a good idea to put me on something to help with my anxiety for a few months. And it’s definitely helping. If I needed medication for anything else, I wouldn’t hesitate. I have accepted that I am stressed and anxious about finances and trying being the best version of me I can be at home, for my family, for my friends and at work – and that I need help to get through this little bumpy patch in the road.

For me, though, I know that long-term medication isn’t the answer. I’m a firm believer in getting out what you put in, so my cleanse will hopefully help balance out my internal dialogue a little better.

I’m getting by with a little help. I’m okay because I have a lot of love around me. I also find the company of dogs to be incredibly soothing. Even if I’m out and about and don’t have my fuzzy loves with me, a quick stop to pat the ears of a willing canine cutie will lift my spirits immediately. As I’m sure it did all the rescuers at Ground Zero. Even if only momentarily.

R U OK?