When I was younger, I thought anxiety was a real and severe disorder. I believed that having anxiety was a serious mental issue that needed hospitalization or medication. Then, as college approached, some of my friends started developing anxiety and I thought it was surreal. As a person that did not have anxiety or panic attacks, I didn't know exactly what anxiety was. Is it something that is diagnosed by a psychologist? Or is it just the constant feeling of fear? I had so many questions because I would try to relate or understand and I just couldn't pinpoint the source of the confusion.

But anxiety is a real thing and seems to be very prevalent in young adults.

I recently saw a video that explained thoughts that anxious people wanted others to know. And as I was watching, I realized that I had the same thoughts, every day. I started to wonder, Do I have anxiety? Which, ironically, started giving me anxiety. Am I in denial of admitting that I have anxiety? Is anxiety really that serious? As these responses started coming to my mind, I became aware of how inconsiderate I sounded, but then I felt like I was overreacting. Which brings me to the point of how self-contradictory this topic can be.

Merriam-Webster defines anxiety as: "An abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it."

I can't speak for everyone else in the world, but this seems like it can be a pretty common feeling, especially throughout college. Life is tough and things can get the best of us, even the small things.

Obviously, your famous pot of chili takes a lot of time and effort. When spilled, anxiety would strike because all that work just amounted to nothing and no one would be able to appreciate it. This would trigger sensations of doubt, fear, and anxiousness because now, you have to clean the mess and cope with how no one has tasted your famous chili.

However, after reality sets in, it is realized that there could be other things that would be worse. But the fact that it meant a great deal to you at the time reinforces the issue of anxiety.

The video conveyed how anxiety doesn't necessarily stem from a reason; sometimes it just sneaks up and there's no explanation. It also explains that anxious people prefer being alone and that even when things are going well, there is still an underlying fear of something bad happening.

After relaying these thoughts to myself, I've come to the conclusion that anxiety can be a common disorder that affects most of us. On the surface, it's really just someone who reacts to their responsibilities. A feeling of fear that keeps us in check with what may be important. It may seem irrational, but it can also be effective when not necessarily unhealthy. However, there are more serious cases of anxiety where the fear is undoubtedly insuppressible to where it affects the social psychology of the person, leading to depression and other disorders. To reiterate, anxiety may be a common feeling that affects many, but may be overlooked when it comes to the people that are deeply affected.