Anxiety is not exclusive to single people or the unemployed

Want to know what I’m sick of hearing people tell me? “You can’t possibly have an anxiety disorder, you have a boyfriend/job”

Really?

Let me tell you a little something about anxiety that you may not know; It’s not exclusive to you. It does not only affect single people or people who are too anxious to work. It hits people on different levels and in different areas of their life. For example; I am perfectly comfortable going to a club and soberly dancing like a lunatic to Def Leppard but I have a mini panic attack when I cross the street or have to put the bins out. It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t take just one form in one type of person.

It’s an irrational over-exaggerated fear and it does not discriminate. Just because you’re 30 and haven’t gotten laid yet doesn’t mean that someone who has a significant other doesn’t shit themselves when they have to make a phone call.

We are all affected in different ways and our anxiety can be much worse in different stages in our lives. You are not weaker than anyone else, or destined for less, so stop putting that burden on your shoulders.

You are doing yourself a major disservice if you think that a relationship will solve your problems or that getting a job will mean you are cured. I’ve been there, I was foolish and it ended up in a nasty emotional breakdown after the job I’d been at for a year was too much for my nerves and my relationship with a piece of shit arsehole left me cheated on and broken.

You always have to work on yourself, and you must do it for you, not for others. Anxiety is not a quick-fix sorta deal, it takes time and effort to target and heal those specific areas that are triggers for you.

Stop being competitive with other sufferers about how bad you have it, you don’t own anxiety or sadness and quite frankly you should be harnessing that energy to compete with yourself however long it takes you to fight your demons. Get competitive with life. Go out and start winning at LIFE!