You see, the thing about anxiety is that, it makes me love myself.
Even through the dark days where I feel like I’m dying.
Even with all the panic attacks and ER visits.
God & Man
It makes me proud of myself for being able to go throughout my day to day life without collapsing.
This article in no way is meant to romanticize anxiety or any other mental illness.
I know more than anyone that anxiety can suck your soul out.
Its mentally and physically draining.
It can be debilitating.
It is so hard to deal with.
God & Man
Its so much more than just being stressed.
Its so much more than just freaking out once in a while.
Its a rain cloud that hangs over your head 24/7.
Its a tapping on the window that never stops.
Its a giant stepping over you, every chance it gets.
hey dont misunderstand me.
Its not like Im pleased.
Im not ecstatic that my brain is chemically imbalanced.
Im not shouting from the rooftops that YAY I HAVEANXIETYPEOPLE, LOOK AT ME.
I could write a book on how anxiety affects me daily.
It makes me think like Im the worst employee.
It makes me think like Im a bad friend and bad person.
It is always slamming and hammering on the back of mind.
This ismystory on anxiety.
This is my experience and my opinion.
Im not saying you should love your anxiety.
Im saying that you should be proud of yourself for having it, and living through it.
You should be proud that even when you are breaking, youre still living.
You should be proud of yourself for being able to live even through the darkest of days.
You should love yourself even more, because you are strong.
And you are brave.
Even through the dark days where I feel like Im dying.
Even with all the panic attacks and ER visits.
It makes me proud of myself for being able to go throughout my day to day life withoutcollapsing.
And when I do collapse, I have the bravery to ask for help.
I have the strength inside of myself to get through it.
Sometimes, I can go through months without having any symptoms.
But it always, and I mean always comes back.
And when it does?
I have the tools inside of myself to stand up again.
But anxiety makes me stronger.
I dont think Id be as fierce and as courageous as I am today.
I remind myself that I am not defined by it.
It reminds me that Im stronger than the voices in my head.
And it reminds me that anxiety will never ever become more powerful than me.
Anxiety gives me a deeper insight into who I am.
It teaches me every day that I amhuman.
It gives me lessons that I never would have learned without it.
And I know its more than just a chore to have anxiety.
Its like walking through a snowstorm barefoot.
Its like having to stand through a tornado without having anything to hold onto.
But its who I am.
Its what makes me, me.
So if you have anxiety, believe me when I say I understand.
I know that you hate it.
I get that you wish it would go away.
I know that you despise it.
I know that you feel weak because you have it.
But youre anything but weak.
You cannot let anxiety win.
You cannot let this illness run your life.
Know that you run your life.
Know that you are in control.
Know that anxiety will never be more powerful than you.
And hey know that you are braver and more beautiful than anything that comes your way.
it’s possible for you to do this.
Anxiety has nothing on you.
