sometimes explaining to people what it’s like to have an anxiety disorder is like pulling teeth
they’re like “oh, i get stressed too! sometimes i get stage fright”
and i’m like. that sucks. for real, it does. but my anxiety means i sometimes lay in bed and feel so dizzy and out of it i can’t get up. my anxiety means i get sick if i feel stress i can’t control. my anxiety means i pick at my hands until they bleed. my anxiety means sometimes i feel like i can’t breathe and can’t stop crying.
so many people expect my anxiety to be about huge things, but honestly, for me, usually it just piles up until something small happens and i lose it. it can be so small. sometimes it seems like it’s over nothing.
but telling me “you’re worrying over nothing” does not help. because the worst part is, most of the time i feel like i’m worrying over nothing and i fucking feel so much guilt because of it. especially if it deals with other people because then i just feel like a burden.
so, please. if someone tells you they have anxiety, just listen. it means all the world if someone just nods and tells you “that fucking sucks”