I'm unsure when the term "anxiety" became a blanket statement for anyone trying to get out of work, class, an uncomfortable situation, or even to get a service dog at school (side eyes...you know who you are); but, all of a sudden, it's a term I hear more and more every day. Hearing people loosely using the phrase "I have anxiety" pisses me off; self-diagnosis is a wonderful thing, but let’s be honest here, you can't get a medical degree from google.
According to The National Institute of Mental Health, 40 million people in the United States, or 18 percent of the population suffer from anxiety disorders. That's right, "disorders"; many people who've diagnosed themselves with "anxiety" don't even know it's a general umbrella term and that there are seven types of anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses and have been found to be highly treatable, but yet only 1/3 of the people suffering actually seek treatment.
Maybe at this point in the article you're probably wondering why a talkative, friendly, tour-guide is so upset about people diagnosing themselves with anxiety. I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and later social anxiety disorder around the age of 13 and sometimes even now it's really hard to get under control. One of the worst things about anxiety is that your mind is the instigator of it all and you’re your own victim.
My anxiety is not a security blanket, my anxiety isn't a nervous chuckle and my anxiety isn't Hollywood's dramatized version of being anxious all the time. My anxiety is being a minute late to class and then standing outside the door for five minutes debating about whether or not to actually walk in. My anxiety is a sweaty forehead when I'm too close to people. My anxiety is constantly thinking people don't like me. My anxiety is not falling asleep until 3 a.m. because I'm retracing and twisting almost all of my conversations into something ugly. My anxiety is at constant battle with my extroverted personality. My anxiety is not a joke. My anxiety is something I wouldn't wish on anyone.
The point of this article isn't to insult self-diagnosis or to say that a person doesn't know their own body and mind, but to simply convey how insulting it is to be a person diagnosed by a psychologist and/or psychiatrist with a mental illness and hear people nonchalantly commenting on their "struggles." It's hard enough feeling different from everyone because of the reactions my anxiety causes me to have; I don't want to hear about your dramatized problems. I don't want to read your Facebook statuses expressing your false anxious woes. This article isn't meant to offend anyone, but simply states my position on self-diagnosing for attention and the cultural lead to romanticizing mental illnesses. affects people's If you or someone is trying to deal with anxiety or any kind of mental illness-PLEASE SEEK HELP. IT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.
