So when you hear word Anxiety, what's the first thing to that come to mind? More importantly, what does it feel like? Anxiety is a normal fear and emotion to have. Everyone feels it at some point in their life because we all feel different emotions but what happens to a person when that Anxiety is prolonged and past the point of feeling normal? I'll tell you. As someone who has severe Anxiety, you can't just up and calm down because that just makes it worse. There is no chilling out, thinking about something or calming down. Those kind of words that come from others can make the Anxiety much worse. In my experience, it has made it worse. Anxiety isn't something that feels good for anyone especially when it's prolonged and you can't even rationalize it.
So what is Anxiety feel like? It feels like a voice in your mind reminding of everything you've ever done. It's the evil twin to Depression that makes you worry, cause you stress, and makes you care too much. It causes you to overthink about situations that you try to rationalize but you can't. It makes you question everything you've done or going to do. For example, if you're talking to a co-worker and you say something and I don't seem very receptive to it, you may feel instant agitation and fear that you made them mad. Or if you text someone and they don't text back right away, you feel as though you've made them angry and start to feel those exact emotions all over again.
Every time you start to feel happy, Anxiety likes to creep in and remind you of everything you've done in the past and tries to make you feel guilty about it. It makes you question everything you've done or are going to do. It makes you feel bad, it makes you think other people hate you, it makes you nervous about anything you're going to do because you might screw up. Living with Anxiety is a nightmare, there is nothing fun about it.
How can you explain even if you don't understand it? It's a hard, difficult, and frustrating thing to deal with. This is what Anxiety feels like. This is what it's like to deal with Anxiety, it's emotionally draining, frustrating, and exhausting and makes you feel like you can't do anything right because you are constantly questioning yourself. It's like living in your own personal hell and there is no way out of it. It's one of the worst feelings in the world and I wish more people understood how it feels for someone who has severe Anxiety, because for many of us that do, that can make even more frustrating.
I've come to the realization that if you haven't experienced something like Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses, then you have no idea how it feels. Judging someone based on how their brain functions differently is wrong and it's something that I've endured my entire life. Anxiety is like being a prisoner of your own mind. That's the one thing I tell people when I try and explain but for a long time it's so hard to explain something that you don't even understand. That's why most people don't get it. They haven't experienced to the point that others have, but furthermore, they could educate themselves so they know it's not all in our head. We aren't just making it up for attention, because if I didn't have severe anxiety like I do, my life would be a different story. I struggle day in and day out but I always remind myself of how far I've come and how proud I should be. If you're struggling with Anxiety or any other Mental Illness, just know that you aren't alone. There is hope, help, and support for you. Reach out and you can make a difference in your life.
So what is Anxiety feel like? It feels like a voice in your mind reminding of everything you've ever done. It's the evil twin to Depression that makes you worry, cause you stress, and makes you care too much. It causes you to overthink about situations that you try to rationalize but you can't. It makes you question everything you've done or going to do. For example, if you're talking to a co-worker and you say something and I don't seem very receptive to it, you may feel instant agitation and fear that you made them mad. Or if you text someone and they don't text back right away, you feel as though you've made them angry and start to feel those exact emotions all over again.
Every time you start to feel happy, Anxiety likes to creep in and remind you of everything you've done in the past and tries to make you feel guilty about it. It makes you question everything you've done or are going to do. It makes you feel bad, it makes you think other people hate you, it makes you nervous about anything you're going to do because you might screw up. Living with Anxiety is a nightmare, there is nothing fun about it.
How can you explain even if you don't understand it? It's a hard, difficult, and frustrating thing to deal with. This is what Anxiety feels like. This is what it's like to deal with Anxiety, it's emotionally draining, frustrating, and exhausting and makes you feel like you can't do anything right because you are constantly questioning yourself. It's like living in your own personal hell and there is no way out of it. It's one of the worst feelings in the world and I wish more people understood how it feels for someone who has severe Anxiety, because for many of us that do, that can make even more frustrating.
I've come to the realization that if you haven't experienced something like Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, and other mental illnesses, then you have no idea how it feels. Judging someone based on how their brain functions differently is wrong and it's something that I've endured my entire life. Anxiety is like being a prisoner of your own mind. That's the one thing I tell people when I try and explain but for a long time it's so hard to explain something that you don't even understand. That's why most people don't get it. They haven't experienced to the point that others have, but furthermore, they could educate themselves so they know it's not all in our head. We aren't just making it up for attention, because if I didn't have severe anxiety like I do, my life would be a different story. I struggle day in and day out but I always remind myself of how far I've come and how proud I should be. If you're struggling with Anxiety or any other Mental Illness, just know that you aren't alone. There is hope, help, and support for you. Reach out and you can make a difference in your life.