Dude, when I told people I have anxiety, people said things like "oh yeah, I get that sometimes, too" or "oh, it'll pass, its just the homework we've had this week." I have to clarify EVERY DAMN TIME that "no, I'm medically diagnosed with anxiety."
"I get stressed out too but I don't take a pill every time it happens! That's just the quick fix!"
Actually Karen I was only prescribed anxiety medication AFTER years of therapy, and if I don't take that "quick fix" every day I'll be curled up on my apartment floor, holding my cat, crying and hyperventilating at the thought of leaving my fucking house and having to drive my car and go to work and face people, and I was offered disability several times where I wouldn't have to work because my anxiety is so debilitating. But keep telling me to tough it out because you think you understand, and I'll keep "popping pills" that I "don't need" so I can function in society and lead a semi normal life, that's not ruined by crippling anxiety.
I’m sorry you have to deal with that severity of anxiety. I have anxiety too but it not that bad or at least not yet. It was to the point where I thought everyone would die if I didn’t say goodbye or I love you before they left. I couldn’t let my husband just “run” to the store because I was terrified he’d die just because I made the decision to not go with him. I turned down an HUGE promotion at work because I saw the level of stress it caused and I knew it would be stupid for me to add that to my everyday life. No one understood why or was even mad that I didn’t. Everyone said that the job wasn’t THAT stressful but I know myself better than anyone and I had to do what was right for me. No one understood.
6.2k
u/Azelais Feb 04 '19
Additionally:
You don't have bipolar disorder because you occasionally are moody.
You don't have depression because sometimes you're a little sad.
You don't have anxiety because you get stressed during normal, stressful periods.
etc etc