Often times, I will think that I am not worth it, no one likes me, I'm not good enough, I don't fit in, I'm too different. Those are CONSTANT thoughts that go through my head every single day. Anxiety takes a toll on my life, because it's an everyday occurrence that messes with my brain and/or body. Anxiety isn't an all day type thing for me, though. It will randomly hit me, and I'll go into this random mood where I don't want to be around anyone, because of the thoughts I have, as stated above.

Having anxiety, there will be days where you will be sad. There will be days that you will not want to do anything. There will be days where you will just feel like you're better off staying away. There will be days where you will just want to be alone. There will be days where you will fake a smile.

But then, there will also be days where you will be happy! There will be days where you will want to have fun! There will be days where you will want to be social! There will be days where you will want to be with your friends/family! There will be days where you will not have to fake a smile!

The definition of anxiety is said to be an intense, excessive, and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. It is also said that fast heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, and fatigue may occur.

For example...

Everyday anxiety: embarrassment or self-consciousness in an uncomfortable or awkward situation

Anxiety disorder: avoiding social situations for fear of being judged, embarrassed, or humiliated

Everyday anxiety: a case of nerves or sweating before a big test, presentation, stage performance, or other significant effect

Anxiety disorder: seemingly out-of-the-blue panic attacks and the preoccupation with the fear of having another one

Everyday anxiety: realistic fear of a dangerous object, place, or situation

Anxiety disorder: irrational fear of avoidance of an object, place, or situation that poses little or no threat of danger

Everyday anxiety: anxiety, sadness, or difficult sleeping immediately after a traumatic event

Anxiety disorder: recurring nightmares, flashbacks, or emotional numbing related to a traumatic event that occurred several months or years before

I try so hard to escape the moment or the social gathering, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to *not* worry about what others think of me, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to sleep without interruptions, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to *not* tense up, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to take over-the-counter medicine every time I get chest pain, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to *not* second guess myself, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to stop shaking my legs when sitting down, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to *not* overthink, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

I try so hard to stop biting my nails, but then I remind myself that this is part of my anxiety.

If you suffer from anxiety, just know that you are NOT alone. Many people suffer from it. You CAN do this. You CAN overcome this. I am with you.

If you don't have anxiety, you probably won't understand this, but I hope that it will give you some insight on what people with anxiety experience on a daily basis. Knowing how anxiety makes a person feel is very important because you may not understand why they are acting a certain way or why they're in a certain mood. There are SO MANY other things that come along with anxiety, on top of the examples I provided. Most of the time, these thoughts, feelings, moods and habits cannot be controlled. Everyone has different experiences, habits, mood swings, feelings and thoughts with anxiety. Everyone copes with it differently, but if you know someone who suffers it, reach out to them. They may not be able to explain how they are feeling, or they may not want to, but just do it, let them know you're thinking about them. You may never realize how much it means, or how much you have impacted their mood by one simple check-in.