When I was in high school, I started suffering from generalized anxiety disorder. It wasn't diagnosed until I was in college, when it got really severe, but I've been living with it ever since.
Many people experience anxiety from time to time as a reaction to stressors in their lives. Taking an exam, speaking in public, and interviewing for jobs are all things that give people some anxiety.
It's not until you start experiencing the same fears, worries, and physical symptoms on a daily basis, without any stressors at all, that it's actually considered an anxiety disorder.
Brittany Nichole Morefield is a young wife and mom who suffers from severe anxiety. In August, Brittany had a very difficult night, and she decided to write about it to calm herself down.
She shared her thoughts on Facebook, and it immediately got a ton of attention. Her message is raw and honest, and it's easy to see why so many people can relate to it.
[H/T: Health]
On August 10, 2017, Brittany wrote about her anxiety on Facebook.
To date, the post has gotten over 189,000 reactions and over 422,000 shares.
Brittany wrote:
Anxiety isn’t just having a hard time catching your breath. Anxiety is waking up at 3 am from a dead sleep because your heart is racing. Anxiety is breaking out in a rash for no reason.
Anxiety is stressing over things that may or my not be real. Anxiety is questioning your faith, how could my creator allow me to feel this way!?
Anxiety is calling your sister 3 hours before she gets up for work, in hopes she’ll answer so you can get your mind off the attack. Anxiety is a 2 am shower. Anxiety is your mood changing in a matter of minutes.
Anxiety is uncontrollable shaking and twitching. Anxiety is crying, real and painful tears. Anxiety is nausea. Anxiety is crippling. Anxiety is dark. Anxiety is having to make up excuse after excuse for your behavior.
Anxiety is fear. Anxiety is worry. Anxiety is physically and emotionally draining. Anxiety is raw. Anxiety is real. Anxiety is a fight with your spouse, even though you’re not mad.
Anxiety is snapping at the smallest annoyance. Anxiety is flashbacks. Anxiety is "what if." Anxiety is a lot of "what's wrong" and "I don't know."
Your feelings matter. Just because you’re bothered by something others aren’t, it doesn’t make you crazy or worthless. Some of the most successful people in life have anxiety. This is not your fault. This is not the end. You are strong. You are intelligent. You are brave. You are worthy.
Eight days later, Brittany shared another message with her friends. She wrote:
Yes, I have anxiety and a list of other mental illnesses. I’m not secretive about it.. I mean heck, 310k people shared my anxiety post… everyone knows now. I don’t care about that. What I DO care about is the type of attention I’ve received from it. I just want you all to know, and remember for yourself in your own situation(s), that I HAVE anxiety but I’m NOT anxiety.
I’m Brittany Nichole Morefield, pink status presenter with Younique and certified MUA. I am a wife, mother, aunt, sister, cousin and friend. Just because I have anxiety, doesn’t mean anxiety has me. There is so much more to me than just my mental health issues and the same goes for you. Whatever you’re struggling with, someone else is feeling those same feelings, you’re not alone BUT whatever those feelings may be, they don’t define you.
There is so much more to each and every one of us than some stupid mental illness. Don’t ever lose yourself. Anxiety is real, big and super scary but you’re bigger. Don’t give up your fight but don’t let people forget that there’s more to you than anxiety.
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