Mind over matter is literally the problem with anxiety. Your mind is overriding reality. Reality says "this is perfectly safe" but your mind says "WTF NO IT'S NOT AAAAAAAH". So I really don't understand how people can use "mind over matter" as some kind of advice there.

The problem is people that are neurotypical really do not - and can not -- understand what it's like. I remember awhile ago on a forum I used to frequent someone was shocked after a new medication started working for them. They posted something along the lines of "is THIS what 'normal' is like? You can just...go DO things?" It was a revelation that neurotypical people can't imagine the pain a "simple" task can bring others bevause they don't feel it. My family was the same, telling me I was lazy, etc, until they see me now at age 46, still the same from back when I was a kid. I've got better coping mechanisms, but I still struggle. My mom finally admitted I was "different", even if she didn't understand.

Obviously the anxiety should be located in the spleen. /s

Same; so sick of hearing people say "Just let it go" or "Just relax". Not helpful.

I wish I could upvote this a thousand times. So many people don't get it. They ask "well what are you anxious about?" If I knew that, I wouldn't be on medication!

I'm reading lots of comments from people who aren't neuro-typical, and because I don't have the mental energy to say it to everyone individually, I am doing it this way instead. I feel solidarity with you all; and whilst I don't know how each of you personally feel, I know what it's like to have mental health conditions, and how difficult it makes daily life. I am sending you all hugs, and hoping your tomorrow is better than today. And to the people who don't suffer from mental health conditions, but are supportive and kind towards those who do; thank you for your compassion and making us feel seen.

Wife has this too. When it's really bad I've learned to ask if I can help, and when she tells me no I just make a pot of tea, get the heating pad out, and get the kids out of the house for a bit

Just wait til a dr says this bs to you. RUN

Same diagnosis as me. I'm also on methadone for substance abuse disorder (in recovery from opiate addiction, clean for a few years) and hoo boy, let me tell ya, it's been so rough trying to find someone, ANYONE, who was willing to treat me with medication. I was so very lucky to have found a doctor right here in my little township that was willing to work with me and I thank my lucky stars for her every single day. Even though I am getting a prescription for Klonopin from an actual psychiatrist, who sees and treats me on a regular basis, my clinic was pretty unwilling to "verify" my script so that I could get take home privileges and not have to come in to dose every single day. I hadn't even tried to seek out treatment for my anxiety for YEARS because it was well known that the doctor at my clinic didn't believe that people on methadone should use any other medications and would refuse to allow take homes for anyone who did. Well, things change! I just got verified 🤗

Same! Of course I TRY not to worry, it's not like I enjoy feeling terrified all the time. It's that my brain literally can not NOT worry without help.

Similar with stress and insomnia triggered epilepsy. Nobody can understand how thi is ruining your life. Why don’t you just have a good long sleep? If sb. asks (unfortunately doctors too!), I want to scream

I’ve never been diagnosed, but ainxiety runs in my family. Some days it gets so bad that I can barely walk becuase my brain overthinks/ get anxious about too much stuff to the point where my motor functions don’t work. Most days it’s just constant guilt and worrying, normal symptoms, but it gets like that every once in a while. I also have really really bad intrusive thoughts. Hoping to get a diagnosis once I’m old enough to get it without parent permission.

The best part is when you go to the doctor for a very real, very bad physical health issue, and they see the anxiety diagnosis and send you off with some scolding and a higher dose of anxiety meds.

“Just get over it” is not applicable to any mental health disorder.

"Nothing to be nervous about, just relax." That's the one I hear ad nauseum. I'm at the point where my reply is a salty, "Do you tell paraplegics to just get up and walk, it's easy?".

Well said and is like telling anorexics to eat something.

YES I have depression but I haven’t been diagnosed or treated or had a therapist (I need therapy though) but I often get told to just “have a positive attitude and you’ll be fine.” Like sheesh if I could I would, I don’t want to stay depressed!! :’(

But if you just try to relax more?? /s 🤦‍♀️

Mental health, if possible, is more important than physical health, and they're both reliant on each other.

I have suffered from anxiety, depression and OCD my whole life; I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder when I had a breakdown; and I finally found out in my 40's that I have Asperger's syndrome/ASD. I'm so glad that I have my diagnoses because it answered so many questions for me.

When my husband and I started dating he did not understand why he wasn't "enough" to end all my anxiety/depression. Any time it came up I said, "google it. look it up. read about it. etc..." Once he finally did that, he understood, as best as someone who doesn't suffer can anyway. He is my biggest supporter and knows exactly what to do/say and what not to do/say when attacks happen. I love him.

You don't have asthma, it's all in your lungs.

Hear hear! People need to learn.

Thank you, thank you so much for this very important, essential posting! I too suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder I had it first diagnosed 20 years ago; it made me an introvert in “real life”. With some “sane” people I can’t help the feeling that _any_ understandig of psychological issues (as far as I can tell, this also applies to major depression) is completely beyond them. I try to avoid contact with such ignorant folks whenever it’s possible – they’re bad for my health, they make matters worse. Again, a heartfelt big thank you!

I have it documented that I have an anxiety disorder as well as generalized social phobia. I mask it well at work because of my medications, but without them I can't function in public without having a severe anxiety attack that makes me feel like I'm dying. (I've had breakdowns in the middle of a Walmart before I was on medication because I couldn't find my parents. That bad.)

It's like telling an asthmatic person to just breathe more.

I'm Bipolar and people think I'm faking but its a serious issue.