I wish I had a dime for everytime when I have be open about my anxiety condition, I've been given the following responses about why I have no right to have anxiety:
1. What about the parents who have children serving in the war?
2. What if I was serving in the war?
3. What about parents who have a child dying or who has died?
4. What about people who have lost their jobs and are about to lose their homes?
5. What about people who have a terminal illness?
6. What about people who don't have food on their table?
7. What if I lived in a third world country?
8. And now of course its going to be, what if I was one of those poor people who just went through that hurricane?
I mean, I feel for all these people. I know things could be worse. I don't know, maybe they are on medication or will be after the fact. I just hate being told why I have no reason to have anxiety. This is why I usually keep it to myself because they either don't understand or think I am a weak cry baby.
Listen now....you are taking abuse that you don't need to hear! That makes me angry too when people don't take anxiety seriously. But remember, anxiety is a DISEASE, A CONDITION, that you have, but didn't ask for and have no more control over the fact that you have it than someone with cancer, or any other disease! I choose not to share my anxiety problems with many people for the very reason that they most likely won't understand and that ends up with me second guessing myself.
Well, of course, anything could always be worse, but that is not what anxiety state is about. So, I recommend not to listen to those folks who don't understand, be prudent about who you share your condition with (you shouldn't have to do that, but unfortunately, it's just a sad fact of life), and do whatever it takes to heal yourself and learn to live with anxiety as best you can. And, don't forget to stick around this board where everyone is rooting for you, and we all know exactly where you are coming from because we are there now or have recently been there.
Keep your chin up - anxiety sufferers aren't weaklings- if we were weak cry babies, we'd be dead or crazy by now! No one else knows how hard some of us have to fight just to get through the day!
yes, I must agree with Marirose! I've decided to only share my condition with people that I know & trust - and even then, you may have to tread carefully. You never know what kind of reaction you will get.
My sister is very sweet & works in healthcare. When I talked to her about it, she just didn't get it, and instead seemed to want to rile me up.
Am I thankful that I am not suffering the woes that other people are suffering? Well, of course I am.
We are here for you - and for each other - because we understand what it is like. People who are not in our shoes cannot understand, for the most part.
"Just relax!"
"Try to calm down."
"Take a deep breath."
"Just lay down."
"Youre just fine."
"Nothing is wrong with you."
"Snap out of it!"
"What do you have to be anxious about?"
"Youre not going to freak out on the plane are you?"
I have heard things like that too.I am usualy ignored,blown off,or told "well it could be much worse so and so has blah blah" like I am being told to just shut up about my anxiety because so and so has a REAL problem and mine is meanial.I totaly agree on watching who we tell about our anxiety disorders.
You cant trust everybody and some obviously think anxiety disorder is just a cop out,weakness,attention seeking,etc.Of course it is none of those it is a very real disorder with real mental and physical symptoms I myself have loads more physical symptoms then mental ones.Anyway,when people respond like that to me I try to blow them off too.My own hubby will ignore me sometimes because he just doesnt understand or know what to do and gets irritated by it.....makes it harder,but thank God for meds.
I wrote a post tonight about my dr that I have been seeing for 3 years...I am having a tough time with the idea of being called for jury duty so i asked for a medical disqual...he had his rude nurse call and tell me I need to get ove rthe panic and serve jury duty...DUH, you think?
I just think when you say "anxiety" people think of every day stress, they don't realize what it really is, and they think whats the big deal, everyone has that. I was told by a counselor that I should be up front with people in my life and let them know I have this problem so I wouldn't be embarrassed if I had to make a break for it, supposedly they would be more understanding. Well, some people pretend they are understanding, but unless they are very close to you or have been through it, its an act. I have become very bitter on people and that idea of sharing. I won't ever tell anyone again about my issues. no one undertands anyway. If they think I'm rude cause I have to leave the dinner table so be it. I couldn't care less anymore what people think. They aren't understanding of my feelings so why should I be understanding of theirs??
I was just prescribed lexapro for anxiety and my mother had the nerve to say, "You don't need that--just drink a glass of wine before going to bed"--HELLO!!!! Everyone else says, "Just calm down". People can be so ignorant, just try to deal with thoses who are supportive of you.
and the best one lately................."we should all just be thankfull we don't live down in new orleans, look at all the people that lost their lives and homes to the hurricane."
fabulose, thanks so much, now I feel bad for myself and those people, yeah that really helped, thanks.....
I love the responces to the post, I had to say I got a laugh out of them, It had me thinking how it was with me when I was still married to my ex husband. It is sad that people really think you can control this, Hey if I could have don't they think I would have. LIke I really liked feeling that way PLEASE. My Ex-husband had everyone beleaving I was crazy. Hell at times I felt like I was. But now looking back on it, THEY are crazyer then I was. I was sick And I was treated like an outcast I am sure they got tierd of me being that way But I was tried also............ My ex-mother -inlaw USE TO say SEE YOUR NOT CRAZY...... I wont'ed to hit her so bad And to this day when I look at her I still think about that and thoese words.. If I had been crazy Maybe I would have gotten a check..... PLEASE ( PEOPLE) can be so dum......
I have been fortunate enough NOT to hear those things. (Well, maybe from people online, but do they really count?)
I believe it's very hard for people to understand Depression/Anxiety when they have never experienced it for themselves. They don't understaned that it's an issue of moodiness or attitude. But that this thing literally takes you over and you feel as though you have little control.
I didn't relate very well to those who have had panic disorders, but now that I have them myself I believe it's the most awful feeling in the world.
