Hi everyone,
In the last year or so, I have come to accept that I have an anxiety issue, and have probably had it for as long as I can remember.
It seems to have come in stronger and weaker phases throughout my life. Never big enough for me to become entirely dysfunctional (well, maybe once or twice), but often just big enough to be noticeable, and to have an effect on my life.
Symptoms, right now anyway, include finding it difficult to do simple tasks such as walking down the street. Passing by another person can often feel like its own mini-drama - spotting them further up the street, the initial pang of anxiety, getting the "brave face" ready, tensing up as we come closer, the building of anxiety, tense body and looking at the floor, perhaps glancing at their eyes to try to keep up some kind of facade of being a "normal" person, body tenses up some more, then the relief as they pass behind me, and everything feels ok again... until I spot the next person.
I think there is probably also a self-esteem issue that needs to be dealt with here.
When life is great, all these problems seem to dissolve and I can happily walk down the street with a smile and a bounce. But inevitably I find myself back in this place eventually.
I'm happy telling my friends and family about my problems - to a degree - but sometimes there are details that you don't like to go into, for fear of embarrassment, and revealing your true fears. I'm here anonymously in the hope that I might be able to talk about this a little more openly, and also to get some advice from others who are suffering in similar ways.
Thanks for reading, hope to chat to you soon.
Reply With Quote
