This is something that I certainly have never opened up about before, and I am sure that half of you reading this, never have either. Anxiety disorders are NOT fun for anyone who has one. I am sure we can all agree that most people do not understand what it’s like to be someone who suffers from one every day. Anxiety comes without warning and 95% of the time for no reason at all. I will get into detail about the effects, behaviors of anxiety and depression, please consider this as a trigger warning.
Let me help those of you who do not understand what this disorder is like from someone who experiences it first hand every single day.
Keep an open mind while reading this because you must have patience and understanding trying to help someone you love or even understand where your mind is at.
I try so hard to calm myself down but it’s impossible
Depression and Anxiety work hand-in-hand. Anxiety attacks will oftentimes send me into a depression and cause me to hate myself for acting or being so crazy at irrational times. This makes me want to space out from the world and the people around me. Sometimes I am too scared to talk to those closest to me about what it is I really want and need from them.
The hardest thing for us to do is find peace within ourselves.
Most times it switches back to worrying and keeps us up all night long. This makes us feel not only tired but irritable and cranky and most of my loved ones know when to steer clear of my path on these days. On these days it is a repetitive cycle and causes another depression and attack.
Something that those who don’t have an anxiety disorder need to understand: WE CANNOT CONTROL IT.
We are already well aware and telling us differently will only make us mentally worse. You see, it will come at the most inconvenient times but it does eventually pass and we’ll be back to normal. The absolute worst thing you can do is bring up anything we previously worried about because it will put us back right where we began and trigger another anxiety attack.
Dating someone with an anxiety disorder is not easy at all.
It requires giving your significant other more attention than you normally wouldn’t have to give. I’m not saying to be stuck up their ass 24/7 but it does mean that when they are battling an attack, you should be there if you love them.
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Ask them what they need
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Let them know you want to help
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Be OK if they tell you nothing and just listen
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Get to know their disorder better and how they react.
Everyone’s anxiety disorder is different.
Place yourself into the shoes of someone with an anxiety disorder and try to understand what it is like to have absolutely no control over your mind and thinking. BE THERE FOR THAT PERSON. They need you most when they feel that they don’t even have themselves.
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Listen and know that there are times where we need you to hold us and times where you need to leave us alone.
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Sometimes you’ll be the trigger for the attack.
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Don’t take it personally.
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DON’T tell us that we are overreacting and worrying isn’t going to make it better
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DON’T tell us to calm down (don’t you think we would if we could??)
Seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with an anxiety disorder.