anxiety

A look at anxiety in its many forms and manifestations; what is the nature of this specific pattern of extreme fear and worry?

Feeling Disconnected
Do you ever feel disconnected? Do you ever feel like the world is moving without you? Like you're there but not really present? I do.
By Jemma Gallagher8 years ago in Psyche
Nightmares
They keep me up. They keep me afraid of what I don’t know lurks in the dark. They pull at my thoughts daily and then at night, terrorize me. Most nights I wake up terrified and not knowing why. Others, I wake myself up sobbing and reaching out for arms to comfort me. The nights that leave me depressed the next day but not knowing what's the matter have become a normality in my life.
By Rachelle Cramer8 years ago in Psyche
Life with Trichotillomania
I stand at the bathroom sink, hands clenched tightly onto the white porcelain edges — so tightly my knuckles are bright yellowish pink. The kind of yellowish pink your knuckles turn when you're holding onto something for dear life.
By Kimberly Alcorn8 years ago in Psyche
To My Friend with Anxiety
Fellow human beings, let's talk about anxiety. Let's talk about anxiety because just this week I was talking to a friend about her struggles; how scared she was and how weak she was feeling because of it.
By Sarah LeBlanc8 years ago in Psyche
Addicted to an Addict
It’s not easy talking about the things that hurt you...the things that you feel or even know others will judge you for. It’s even harder to talk about it when you are made to feel like you were the one that made all the mistakes. As if you were the reason everything failed.
By Venus Price8 years ago in Psyche
My Anxiety
I was getting ready to leave home and start a new adventure. I was excited and unbothered, at least I thought. I had the most awful gut wrenching pain in my chest, it hurt so bad I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think of anyone or anything in that moment; I honestly thought I was going to die, but it passed and I went on with my day with a fake happy facade and a worried “WTF was that” replaying over and over in my head. I left California and for the first time I was on my own; I had a new roommate, a new job, a new school... everything was different. That’s when the pain started again, I would be doing mundane things like laundry or cooking or even laying down and reading a book for homework. Obviously sharp pains in your chest should worry you, especially if it's followed by shortness of breath, that’s when I started to worry… maybe it something serious I had no clue but I was terrified.
By Thrifty, Curvy, & Thriving8 years ago in Psyche
Anxiety
You guys all know this monster. You might not refer to it as a monster but in this story it is. Anxiety is the monster we are going to talk about. A monster so powerful it affects everyone in the world all at once. Some more than others. Let’s start this story in the beginning, before Anxiety was a condition it was a human being. At a time when anyone or anything different was shunned much like today.
By Emma Blakeman8 years ago in Psyche
When the Stone Cracks
I was born the second oldest of four children...until the oldest passed away. I was suddenly thrust into a position of responsibility and maturity that I wasn't prepared for and expected to execute well. I was 13, maybe 14 years old at the time. The younger ones were now my responsibility; I had to take care of them, feed them, make sure they stayed out of trouble and were always safe while trying to protect them from an abusive, alcoholic father and comfort my sweet mother who took the brunt of it all.
By Bree K8 years ago in Psyche
Signs of Social Anxiety Disorders
Are you socially anxious? Social anxiety is probably one of the more common disorders that people face daily. It's a true struggle for people who work, attend school, etc. Growing up with the disorder is really tough. It's almost impossible to meet with people, because the second you leave your house, you're immediately coming face to face with strangers (I feel you). And a lot of these people want to avoid any contact from these strangers as much as possible.
By Jacqueline Hanikeh8 years ago in Psyche
Sleep Paralysis
If you have experienced sleep paralysis in your life, you'll know that it can be very confusing and scary. I want to explain what you are experiencing.
By bambiekisses8 years ago in Psyche
Anxiety Epidemic
I read a news headline the other morning as I swiped rapidly through social media on my phone. It's part of my routine; wake up, check for messages, scan the day's headlines, sigh heavily, sit on end of bed for ten minutes and then face the day. This headline told me that we are apparently facing an "anxiety epidemic" in western society. Now, I didn't read the whole article (who has time for that these days), but it resonated with me for a couple of reasons. Firstly, because it made "anxiety" sound like an ominous and deadly disease that was sweeping the nations. Not a great vision. But secondly, because like whenever I see a news story of any kind about "anxiety," "stress," or "mental health struggles," it reminds me that I am not alone.
By Naomi Stewart8 years ago in Psyche
Life With Anxiety
It’s often a subject that is brushed over. Never talked about enough. But as anyone knows when you suffer with any form of a mental illness, you can’t help but feel isolated or alone. In some ways you often feel obligated to keep it to your self, and then still you want to open up and pour your self out to someone who is willing to listen.
By India Edmonds8 years ago in Psyche