Don't miss a thing by getting the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox From the age of six, Leah Russell has struggled to cope in social situations.
One of her earliest memories is wanting to join in with a group of children, but her fear of socialising with people overwhelmed her.
She was left in floods of tears after realising that her anxiety meant she was unable to the things most children her age enjoyed.
Leah passed through the school system without any acknowledgement or support for her social anxiety, which has escalated during adulthood.