The first time I had an anxiety attack, I was 10 years old and lying in my bed watching TV. It came out of nowhere and I was terrified that I was dying. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I felt like I was being suffocated, and all I could think about was the fact that I had no idea what was going on. The entire attack lasted about 5 minutes, though it felt like an hour. Here we are 11 years later and every attack is just as terrifying as the first.

It took a while for my family and friends to realize how to respond when one of these attacks just strikes randomly. I don't want to be touched or spoken to. I just want to curl up in my ball and breathe into my paper bag, which I happen to keep with me everywhere. Though anxiety is becoming a topic that more people are becoming aware of, you still have those insensitive people who insist that we are being "over dramatic". With that being said, here are 11 phrases you should steer clear of when a friend or loved has an anxiety disorder:

1. "Chill."

Why yes, I'd love to chill. One little problem though, I HAVE 12 MILLION THOUGHTS GOING THROUGH MY HEAD AT THE SAME TIME. Yeah, I'll chill though. Sure thing, I'll get right on it.

2. "Drama Queen."

I'm not a drama queen. I'm really not trying to make a big scene at all. I just can't help how my emotions come out.

3. "It's Not That Serious."

I know it's not that serious, I really do. But I can't control how I react to things because my anxiety disorder controls it for me. What isn't serious to you may be devastating to me. And what's earth-shattering for you may be a walk in the park for me. I don't like overreacting, it draws unnecessary attention to me which causes more anxiety.

4. "I Know How You Feel, I Get Nervous Too."

There's a huge difference between getting nervous and having an anxiety disorder. For example, you might get nervous because you haven't studied for your biggest final. My anxiety flares up when I think about if I turned the water off in the bathroom. To me, that's a huge deal.

5. "It'll Be Okay."

Sometimes it won't be okay. Not everything is okay all the time. Not everything is perfect and dandy and amazing. Sometimes it's just not alright.

6. "At Least You're Not Dying."

I may not be dying, but what if I am? What if that spot on my arm is skin cancer and not just dirt? What if I have a headache but it's really a brain tumor? What if my cough is from lung cancer but I think it's just allergies? I might not be dying, but I could be. This is the way a person with anxiety constantly thinks.

7. "There's Worse Things Going On In The World."

Trust me, I know there are far worse things than the fact that I may have left the oven on when I left the house. There's war, poverty, starvation, global warming, etc. I still think the oven is a big deal.

8. "You're Fine."

I'm not fine. Don't tell me I'm fine. Don't look at me like I'm stupid or like I'm a child. I might look fine to you, but inside I have fear so crippling you'd probably lose your mind.

9. "Think About Something Else."

I'd love to think about something else. I'd love to think about anything other than what's currently running 110 mph through my head. I can't though, sorry about that.

10. "Take A Deep Breath."

Trust me, I tried that. I've tried over an over and over. Sometimes you just have to wait it out. Taking a deep breath is much harder than you think it is when you're panicking.

11. "Get Over It."

No.

Be mindful of what you say to someone because you never know what anyone is going through. Keep in mind that not everyone thinks like you.