Anxiety

By Jenny Tuckfelt
This is Jenny.
To most who know her, she is a normal, well-
adjusted 21-year-old girl.
She is rational, logical and not prone to being
emotional.
She is ambitious and strong-willed.
She likes dogs, Netflix, Ben and Jerrys and playing
volleyball.
Most people wouldnt guess that she struggles with
mental illness.
On a regular basis, anxiety reduces that strong,
capable girl to a worried, shaking mess.
Her hands shake, her heart races and panic
plagues her thoughts.
She cannot focus or catch her breath.
No amount of putting things into perspective will
ease her instability or grant her respite.
The slightest stressors often trigger
disproportionate reactions.
Bigger triggers lead to meltdowns.
She is tired,
and frustrated,
and ashamed
and still searching for a solution.
But she is not alone.
Anxiety robs 18.1% of the adult American
population of their peace of mind.
It can be responsible for both physical and
mental symptoms including:
Insomnia
Shaking
Racing thoughts
Increased heart rate
Despondency
Changes in appetite
Antisocial behavior
Whats worse than the condition itself is the
fear of being perceived as
ridiculous,
ill-equipped,
maladjusted
or dramatic.
What anxiety sufferers would like most is to be
able to just stop worrying, get a grip, and hold
onto it.
Awareness and support from friends and
family, and from the rest of the world, is a
close second.
Abandon your stereotypes.
Anxiety is not:
A mood that can be snapped out of
A cry for attention
Always treatable
Predictable
Fleeting
A choice

Anxiety is:
Medical
Crippling
Shame
Fear
Uncertainty
Hiding

Acknowledge that there is a difference between
whiny discontentment and true anxiety.
Regard the latter as you would a physical
illness.
No one chooses to be sick.
No one chooses anxiety, either.
Educate yourself before you pass judgment
and for the love of your preferred deity,
stop telling people with anxiety
(or expecting them)
to suck it up.
Try to understand that as you have your
struggles and misfortunes, anxiety is theirs.
So be aware,
be patient and
be kind.