Boyfriend leaves 'love pills' with sweet notes to help his girlfriend handle anxiety: "Be proud..."

Anxiety is no joke. Just because it isn't spoken about much or doesn't bear physical scars doesn't mean the person who's suffering from it has it any easier. It can be hard to find someone who understands that, but this woman lucked out in the partner department when her boyfriend presented her with a gift that would help ease her anxiety.

According to the Huff Post, Denisha Bracey of Halifax, Nova Scotia, had been working through anxiety and panic attacks over the summer — mental health issues that had first cropped up while she was a teenager. But through it all, her boyfriend, Riley Rankin, was right there to support her on those bad days. He did everything he could to help her cope.

However, on their second anniversary on July 24, 2019, Riley did something that shocked Denisha and melted her heart. Calling them “love pills,” he placed an order for an empty gelatin capsule from a Walmart pharmacy before proceeding to fill each and every one of them with sweet and loving little notes. The notes were either statements that would make Denisha happy or a line about a good quality of hers. Then he took an empty prescription bottle and made a new label dated July 24, 2017, from “Dr. Rankin.” The directions included, “Take one pill as needed.”

Speaking to Good News Network, Riley said, “It took about three hours to get everything together. It was definitely worth the time. I think I read about someone doing something similar in a post on reddit, like 6 months before. I wanted to make her happy, I wanted her to be able to cope with her anxiety when I’m not around— or even when we’re having argument—or I just can’t be there for her.”

And the best part? He gave this loving gift on their second anniversary. “The last couple weeks I’ve been struggling with anxiety and panic attacks and my boyfriend has been helping me a lot with this. Our 2 year anniversary just came up and he made me this beautiful gift!" exclaimed Denisha to Huff Post. Taking to Facebook, the girlfriend shared a post outlining and giving examples of the amazing gift she received.

When she first got the gift, the overwhelmed girlfriend said she was “very confused” because she believed Riley was handing her medication. Once she realized what it was, she was extremely moved by the gesture. “Once I read the label and opened it up, I was really overwhelmed because I couldn’t believe he took the time to make such a wonderful gift for me,” she said. “We love making each other DIY gifts but this is definitely the best one yet! I cried a lot!”

“Every pill capsule is filled with a little note that says something loving or sweet, something that will make me happy, or a good quality about me,” the 20-year-old wrote in her Facebook post. "He bought empty capsules and filled every single one and put them in an empty pill container. I’ve never seen this anywhere (I pinterest a lot though! lol) and I just can’t believe he made this for me. I actually cried."

Some examples of other handwritten notes included, “You should run for Miss Universe because DAMN,” “Be proud of yourself, you are amazing and think of all the things you’ve accomplished!” and “Your positivity is so refreshing and inspiring.”

She also advised others that for those suffering from anxiety as well who were in relationships, “It’s always important to remember to take care of yourself before you start taking care of someone else." She mentioned that when going into a relationship with such mental health issues, honesty and communication with your partner is essential.

Speaking to Cafe Mom, she said, "I think communication is the biggest part of supporting someone who struggles with mental health. Let them know you’re there, you care and you’re willing to support them by trying to understanding their struggle. Empathy is a big one too. It’s not always easy but being honest and learning from the mistakes made in the journey of support of mental health is vital."

With nearly 40 million American adults suffering from anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, these types of stories remind us just how debilitating anxiety can be and why it's not easy to deal with it alone. And having someone with you to help you through it is just a part of our nature, something that should never be shamed.

To those having their own mental struggles, Denisha had this to say, "Don’t give up just because it gets hard. It’s obviously a bigger commitment and mistakes will be made. If someone is trying to help you and it’s not working out for you, tell them it isn’t. That’s the only way you can figure out what the right thing to do is and what the wrong things are."

Most importantly, don't give up on yourself. You are worth the effort and the right person will show you that when they support you through the pain and struggles you're going through.