I've talked to my friends and they just don't really understand what I feel like in certain situations! My dad is the worst though...whenever I try talk to him about anxiety he always tells me that its apart of the feelings people get when growing up when its actually a mental illness..hmpf!
No one in my life understands anxiety:( - Anxiety Support
No one in my life understands anxiety:(
Hi Milly,
I understand your frustration, I think it is really difficult to understand anxiety if you haven't experienced it yourself.... The only people in my life who understand it are those who suffer/have suffered from it! I got pretty annoyed the other day as I heard a student on my course complaining as another student is getting "extra time" during her exams as she suffers from anxiety. First student is complaining that we "all get anxious during exams" and its not fair that she gets special treatment.....Arggghh!! But I couldn't make her understand just how different real anxiety is!!! So frustrating! So I guess this means we have to be patient with them! We're lucky to have a site like this where we can share with people who do understand.... x
Hi Millyr,
I think that unless you suffer anxiety personally, people will not understand. When I first started suffering from panic attacks, I didn't get out of bed for days. My boyfriend although being as caring as he was kept saying 'get up and get on with it, it will soon dissapear' like you could shake it off like you could shake off a cold. People think you can control your thoughts and your body through anxiety but it takes so much time.
I realised that I had to make myself better and told my boyfriend that I needed to be left to get on with it in my own way. We live together but he gave me my space. If I felt really rubbish and had to go to bed, he let me rather than trying to make me feel better by suggesting we do something, if I felt well enough to get up and go out with the dog, I actually went alone to build up my independance and strength initally, I didn't want to rely on anyone or any thing to get better, but we all cope differently.
I would say stay true to how you feel. Only you know how you are coping and what makes you feel better. Although it's sometimes nice to have people around you to support and understand you, at the end of the day, only you can make yourself better.
xxx
I agree Mandy26 when you are suffering from Anxiety and Panic attacks I don't think no one really understands unless they are experiencing it themselves. If I am feeling anxious I would rather not be forced into things if I don't feel up to it.
My boyfriend is the same he tries to care but he just tells me to get out there and be positive which I am trying to do but I think yo have to do it slowly and not to quickly . He asked to take me out yesterday for a meal and I went along which was ok and I had quite a nice time but then he suggested going out after which I really didn't want to do as I think it would be to much for me at the moment.
It just takes time really and I'm sure eventually things will get better for me and you.x