Anxiety is a very serious mental illness that so many people suffer with, yet it gets overlooked so easily because it is not a visible illness. About a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year.
I have been suffering with sever anxiety since the age of about 13, for every single person anxiety is different, majority of people feel anxious at serious and scary times in their life, however people that suffer with anxiety are anxious constantly and usually for no reason. I can't really talk about how anxiety is for everyone i can only talk about my experience.
My anxiety has got very severe recently, i have had to quit my job because of my anxiety and i have hardly left my house in the last 6 months. I am unable to do normal things that normal people should easily be able to do like go into shops on my own, make phone calls, even making phone calls to family and friends makes me anxious. i am constantly worrying about what people think about me and feel as if every one i see is staring at me and judging me. It ruins your relationships with people because you constantly doubt yourself and feel as though your partner doesn't really love you or friends dont really want to be your friends, it is really heartbreaking because you are constantly putting yourself down.
Having anxiety is so exhausting and tiring, i dont do much with my life so when i tell people that i am tired and exhausted they look at me like i am wierd but having constant anxiety is so mentally and physically draining, your body is constantly in panic mode, my heart rate is constantly fast and im constantly excessively worrying about every little thing that most "normal" people dont worry about.
Most people dont really understand anxiety unless they have experienced it themselves, the majority of the people in my life do not understand my anxiety and it can be very frustrating having to explain to people how you feel when they are not interested and dont really care to know. most people just assume that you are lazy and using your anxiety as an excuse and that can be very hurtful because i am pretty sure i can speak for everyone with anxiety and say that if we had a choice we would not want to be anxious 24/7!! and we would love to be able to do normal everyday things that most people can do without any hesitation.
Another problem i have to face is that people mistake you for being rude simply because you are too anxious to get involved in conversations and talk to people, for me, personally i have a big problem with being able to talk to people, when there is a group of people i will sit there and be silent and just listen to the conversation because i am too nervous to have an input and so many people then start to call you rude, which is incredibly unfair and then makes you feel even more anxious and excluded.
I am still suffering really bad with anxiety and i am still going through a process of trying to figure out what works to keep me calm and relaxed when i am feeling anxious. here are some of the things that i do to keep myself calm, and maybe you can try some of these things yourself if you have anxiety, and i hope this helps you:
- Do things you enjoy. For me watching YouTube videos really helps to take my mind off of my anxiety and anything that i am worrying about, so i would maybe recommend watching a film or TV programmes that you love or listen to music or do whatever makes you feel calm and relaxed, just to take your mind off of it.
- Getting some fresh air. whether that is just sitting and relaxing in your garden, looking up at the sky and just remembering that you are not alone in this big world :) or you can go for a walk and listen to some music just to get out and get some fresh air, or take your doggies for a walk! :)
- Maybe seeing some friends that can cheer you up and make you feel better and less anxious. I know seeing my best friend helps alot because I am just constantly laughing so im not really thinking about my anxiety and paying any attention to it.
- Take a nice warm relaxing bath, light some candles, use a nice lush bath bomb and listen to some music or play some YouTube in the background! :)
I'm sorry for the long post, but i just feel as though it helps me to talk about it and i hope that now other people with anxiety can know that they are not alone. I am going to leave a link below of a website that i think sums up anxiety very well and in an easy way so that you can show it to people that maybe do not understand anxiety to help them understand it a bit more.
If you do suffer with a mental illness, not just anxiety, then I want you to know that you are not alone and things will get better, just never give up, always have faith, and if you haven't already please talk to a friend/family member that you know you can trust, and please go and see your doctor so you can get some professional help as well, trust me it helps!
I really hope this has helped, even if i have just helped one person then I will feel happy. If you suffer with anxiety i would love it if you left a comment telling me about your anxiety, how it affects you and what you do to keep yourself relaxed! it would be great to get some more tips!
Thankyou for reading
Cartoon explaining anxiety
Megan Rose ♥
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