Diamond Summer is a song about recovery from mental illness. I’ve had terrible anxiety my entire life. When I was younger, I was clueless to the reality of the situation, thinking that irrational fear was normal. I wondered how the other kids in school could handle it so well, which made me feel like a weak person. I had no idea that I was suffering from a mental health disorder. It wasn’t until the summer of 2015 when my condition escalated to the point of complete, mental incapacity, that I began to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. I was diagnosed with a severe panic disorder, suffering from a constant sense of impending doom causing brutal attacks, agoraphobia, insomnia and periodic episodes of syncope. I was absolutely terrified that I would never feel normal again. After several months of seeking treatment and focusing on methods of improving my mental awareness, I eventually recovered, and the lessons I learned that year were of immeasurable value. I finally understood myself, realizing how strong I actually was to be able to overcome such a thing. I wanted to write a song about the feeling of being trapped in that cerebral prison while reminding myself that with time and patience, all can be well again. I hope that this song helps others the way that it has helped me.more