Living with Anxiety

Anxiety might be the disease of our generation. We hear about it, we read about it, but few really know the magnitude of mental instability. Millennials might have a lot of advantages given by timing, but they are also an unstable generation.

I still remember as if it was yesterday the first anxiety crisis that I felt, I was at work and this guy that I was seeing was messing with my head for over a week. He was hot and cold, telling me nice things in the evening and breaking up with me in the morning. I started to feel very agitated as if the whole world would collapse on my head, I was unable to concentrate and the most horrible scenarios were running through in my head. Not quite able to cry, but unable to think straight, this state didn’t go away easily. After the inevitable breakup took place, I still felt those crises for a long period of time, although less often, they never really went away.

Even today as I am writing this, I most likely experienced at least one small episode of anxiety. The best definition I could give is the moment when you think about the worst-case scenario that could happen to you, constantly worrying about what can go wrong and even when things are going well, imagining that something bad is about to happen. Changes are very hard to accept and I get agitated when I am not in control of the situation. To all of this, I can also add insomnia and bad dreams. This is the manifestation that I get, most likely every person will experience anxiety differently.

There are many ways you can diminish the effects, for me practicing a sport or petting an animal usually does the trick, but going to therapy and medication, should always be an option if you are felling the situation is getting out of control. A while ago I went to a few therapy sessions and they really made a difference in how I managed to snap out of a crisis. Today, when I start to feel that I get anxious about things, I try to find a solution for the worst-case scenario and analyze if this issue will still matter to me in 5 years. This makes me realize that I can face whatever problem might occur.

If you are suffering from anxiety you should ask for a specialized opinion since it is hard for friends or family to understand what you are going through. It is as if a person without a phobia,  would tell someone with it to not be afraid. All mental illnesses should be addressed, ignoring them will not make them disappear but only get worst. Also if you are having a friend that is suffering from it, don’t minimize the problem, it is not something that can be easily controlled.