Well, Anxiety, you truly pressured me to my hardest and to make everything perfect. Maybe I hated it, but you’ve helped me come much farther than I would have thought. You may have altered my lifestyle and you may have knocked down my confidence, but you will never defeat me as a whole. I’ve managed to use you wisely and no longer let you control me. I appreciate every sleepless night, every choking breath I’ve felt, and each time you told me I couldn’t do something. I like proving you wrong. Not just for those reasons, but for many more that I'm so glad I have finally learned to cope.

You help me take time for myself.

All the time you had me stressing about all the things I had to do, and what I should keep doing to keep others happy. Never do I take time for myself unless it is lying in bed clenching the blankets because of a panic attack I just had. When my head tells me to take a breather and go relax, I almost want to throw a fit. It always felt like you were putting more strain on me by having me relax outside and then consume me with thoughts of what more I could be doing with my time. It isn't what you meant and now I can finally see that you are good for me. You see the poor condition my mental health is in and so you help stabilize it. I now can peacefully lay outside, I can sleep in an extra few minutes, and I am able to take time for myself. I say no more often and am left with less weight on my shoulders. Thank you.

You motivate me.

I may have demanded you go away in cries and screams, and I may try to push you away with medication, but you help me. By the end of the day, you were what made me get the grade I did on that test. You are what helped make that right decision. You helped shift my focus from being stressed to being productive. You try and deteriorate my confidence but little do you know that I work under pressure and you have helped me every step of the way. I started to notice that when I stress of work, I have already been working at it for hours on end; you give me those panics because you are telling me I need to take a break. You are telling me I can continue this later. You may have tried hard to knock me to a bad point, but no longer will I let you break me down.

Others confide in me now.

Your job of scaring people off didn’t work, Anxiety. People are not fearful of me anymore. Fearful of my attitude and what I may think of them. In fact, it helps my friends be more comfortable with me. You help me truly empathize with people. I can easily open up to others about what I go through and friends come to me with no doubt. That goes a long way in life and I could not be able to do it without you. I’m able to offer advice; I can finally say “I know how you feel” and mean it. You aid me in the right direction of words to say.

I am at my best with you.

I like being vulnerable. People know the true me. All those late nights studying and crazy text messages to my friends. I like that. I hate to admit it. I really hate that I need the stress, and the push to keep going. I do, though. I want to keep you around. My mind no longer feels like it’s on fire while I over-analyze everything. Sleepless nights are a blessing and my smile is no longer inadequate. I am finally free of the jail cell you made my mind and I turned it into my classroom. I learn more everyday from you and I'm lucky enough to have that opportunity.

So, thank you anxiety.

You are the conscience I have been searching for; I always had it, I just chose to ignore it. Not anymore. Thank you for being there whether I shooed you away or not. You have made me and many others courageous, and strong-minded people. I no longer fear you; I take heart in saying I live with you and I will for the rest of my life. You have, in turn, helped me face reality with a different point of view; a better one. Who would have known what makes us feel the worst, could make us become so much better?

To my readers, pay attention to what your anxiety is doing to you and how you react. Talk to people, express it, channel it into positive energy. The results you get will change your life for the finest. I promise.