ROdown Blog
I Have an Anxiety Disorder
‘I have an anxiety disorder’.
A phrase that is more often than not left with an awkward lingering silence, a nervous laugh or a change of topic. A lot of people really don’t want to talk about it. Most of my friends were all aware I had anxiety related issues. Unfortunately some of them labelled me as just being a worry wart or drama queen.
Sometimes it is assumed that people with a mental illness can ‘get over it’ or ‘pull themselves together’. I remember seeing a beyondblue campaign on the back of a toilet door saying ‘Anxiety is paralysing. It’s always there in your mind…and you wait’. My eyes filled with tears. I’m not sure if they were tears of relief or sadness. But staring at this poster I felt understood. I didn’t feel so isolated anymore.
The very existence of this campaign meant that somebody, somewhere also understood what it’s like to be crippled with severe anxiety. It was then I realised many of my friends and family really just had a lack of understanding about mental health problems.
Yet how can this be when 1 in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness at some stage in their life? One major reason is lack of education about mental illness. When I was at school it was never really talked about. It’s a promising and exciting idea that Suicide Prevention Australia is calling mental health and suicide to be incorporated into high school health curriculums. While societies understanding of mental illness may have improved over the last few decades it’s still a frustrating reality that society still feels uncomfortable about it. I hope for the day when discussing mental illness is as accepted as talking about a physical illness such as asthma or diabetes.
I have been shocked to discover that people I have known since high school have suffered depression. Unfortunately they were not comfortable to speak about their illness. I found that speaking openly about my illness and posting blogs about my experience with anxiety was really rewarding. People who I never realised had any mental health difficulties began to open up to me about their own mental illnesses. Speaking about it is the key to change. They key to removing the isolation. As Inspire Foundation’s CEO Jonothan Nicholas explains mental illness needs to be talked about ‘in a way that is not only real, but provides a sense of hopefulness’. So start the conversation. -If you think a friend or a family member has been acting differently engage in a conversation with them. -
Talk openly and easily with them, let them know that you understand and are there to support them. -Also let them know that there are ample services to contact for professional support. -Normalise their illness. -Reinforce that they’re not alone. When experiencing my darkest times of anxiety the main things I craved from those around me were understanding and respect: for people to respect what I was going through without reducing my anxiety to a personality flaw or being weak.
How would you support a friend suffering a mental illness?
For more Information on helping a friend suffering from a mental illness go to:
Supporting someone with a mental illness
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8 Comments
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jnicolls28
4 months ago
Reply ReportI have the exact same problems. I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which has resulted in anxiety and derpession. Everyone around me knows that I have these problems, but I am always told to just move on. This post was soo moving, and I just want to say, I need someone who understands to vent to, and anyone who has commented on this blog, feel free to message me and I am more than happy to listen without judging.
mischief_managed
5 months ago
Reply ReportHey x-xABCx-x,
Cassie :)
5 months ago
Reply ReportHi ABC,
x-xABCx-x
5 months ago
Reply Reporthahaa, tears filled my eyes too... I dislike talking about my +*problems and I really want to speak about them. There's this teacher at the new school I moved to who is really nice and I want to talk to her about it because she even said, if there is something I need to talk about i can talk to her and I don't have to talk to anyone else but my anxiety brings I think she is going to judge me like everyone else and that she's going to think I'm stupid. Grrrr, I hate anxiety.
Michaela
about 1 year ago
Reply ReportI have anxiety disorder and depression. Im on medication and i regularly talk about my feelings with my boyfriend which helps. If anyone thinks they may have a mental illness such as anxiety disorder, talk to someone you trust like a teacher, parent, friend, school councellor or even call the kids help line. Admitting that your in pain and that your hurt can be very exhausting and draining and difficult but the help may be well worth it, it may even save your life because it saved mine.Â
shell_bell
about 1 year ago
Reply Reporti dnt know if i have anxitey disorder but ever since i was little my parents nd family had problems , and i got told about them from an early age, ever since i was like 7 when ever i got anxious i throw up. like i cant stop it. any advice. im sorry but im just wondering. please?Â
Nathalielouise
about 1 year ago
Reply ReportIt means a lot to me that you got something out of it.
The Little Prince
about 1 year ago
Reply ReportThank you... I will post again when I stop crying... This was really moving. Thank you for posting this. It means more than I can make you understand.