My first memory of Hyperhidrosis was when I was a kid on the playground. My friends wanted me to join them on the monkey bars. I remember telling myself

“I can’t because my hands are so sweaty, I’ll slip right off!"

Before I turned 6 all I knew were things I couldn’t do. I remember constantly thinking,

“I can’t because my feet are so sweaty, my legs are so sweaty, my underarms are sweaty, I can’t do it!”

Even minor everyday things were difficult. For goodness sake, holding a pencil was a battle!

I kept thinking that I just need someone to show me how and tell me how to be normal in a world that doesn’t see Hyperhidrosis. Even as an adult, I find myself feeling the same way. I don’t know anyone like me. I don’t know anyone who has tried to solve their constant sweating the same way I have. Even when I do meet someone who has Hyperhidrosis I think “Oh their sweating can’t be as bad as mine because they seem fine.”

Apparently, I come off the same way- fine. More than fine actually. Most people had no idea Hyperhidrosis affects me the way it has. This is partly because I’ve hid it so well. For the longest time I didn’t want to talk about it, I didn’t want sympathy for it, I didn’t want to be seen as gross, and I didn’t want people to know that I felt like I was drowning. Yet, I desperately wanted someone to just know without me having to say it.

A part of learning to live with Hyperhidrosis is talking about it and embracing its quirks.