I have been plagued by anxiety for most of my life and "other" people do not realize how tough the battle is. Everything affects you in ways that it does not affect others. Either issolation or being in groups of people can trigger all sorts of symptoms. It affects your clarity of mind and your control over your environment due to this loss in perception. It is very dissorienting and scarry. Lots of everyday activities can become a struggle with people on the sidelines saying that you should control your emotions or simply get a grip because you are "over-reacting". It is more than just being "sensitive", it is deblilitating... as much so as anyone in a wheelchair and makes life almost impossible at times in ways that "others" can't see. But there is hope and it can be overcome... this takes a lot of work and support from others. Realizing that someone you love has this problem is the first step in supporting that person. It takes a lot of patience when you have a loved one that has problems with anxiety... you have to realize that the world you live in is not their world. They are plagued by irrational fears and things "look" different to them but that does not make it less "real" to them. Change can be difficult to deal with for them... even the smallest of things. Telling loved ones that they are simply selfish or being unreasonable is not helpful but helping them to have the courage to seek treatment is and will give them the foundation on which to become stronger and healthier in their thinking. I was not able to get treatment and suffered a lifetime trying to deal with the problem on my own. If you are reading this blog and have a child that is super shy or introverted and does not react age appropiately to others please have that child checked by doctor and keep an eye on thier behavior. This could be an early symptom that something else might be going on. My serious symptoms began around puberty but I remember experiencing thoughts of death and having signs of depression as early as gradeschool... I was very young. These symptoms would come and go but the fact that I was experiencing these symptoms at such an early age should have sent up some red flags. Anxiety is no joking matter. It is a condition that can do real damage and if given enough time, can errode a person's self esteem and will to live. I hope that if you know someone with this condition that it gives you a little more understanding for them... if you have a loved one that suffers from anxiety, please be supportive and encourage them to get help. Thank you for listening. I hope this has been helpful.
I have been plagued by anxiety for most of my life and "other" people do not realize how tough the battle is. Everything affects you in ways that it does not affect others. Either issolation or being in groups of people can trigger all sorts of symptoms. It affects your clarity of mind and your control over your environment due to this loss in perception. It is very dissorienting and scarry. Lots of everyday activities can become a struggle with people on the sidelines saying that you should control your emotions or simply get a grip because you are "over-reacting". It is more than just being "sensitive", it is deblilitating... as much so as anyone in a wheelchair and makes life almost impossible at times in ways that "others" can't see. But there is hope and it can be overcome... this takes a lot of work and support from others. Realizing that someone you love has this problem is the first step in supporting that person. It takes a lot of patience when you have a loved one that has problems with anxiety... you have to realize that the world you live in is not their world. They are plagued by irrational fears and things "look" different to them but that does not make it less "real" to them. Change can be difficult to deal with for them... even the smallest of things. Telling loved ones that they are simply selfish or being unreasonable is not helpful but helping them to have the courage to seek treatment is and will give them the foundation on which to become stronger and healthier in their thinking. I was not able to get treatment and suffered a lifetime trying to deal with the problem on my own. If you are reading this blog and have a child that is super shy or introverted and does not react age appropiately to others please have that child checked by doctor and keep an eye on thier behavior. This could be an early symptom that something else might be going on. My serious symptoms began around puberty but I remember experiencing thoughts of death and having signs of depression as early as gradeschool... I was very young. These symptoms would come and go but the fact that I was experiencing these symptoms at such an early age should have sent up some red flags. Anxiety is no joking matter. It is a condition that can do real damage and if given enough time, can errode a person's self esteem and will to live. I hope that if you know someone with this condition that it gives you a little more understanding for them... if you have a loved one that suffers from anxiety, please be supportive and encourage them to get help. Thank you for listening. I hope this has been helpful.
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