Anxiety, Something that is known all too well amongst the younger generation. You might get it early on in life, it might not come until later on in life. But even when you think it won't hit you; it does.

When you get a mental illness, you understand a lot more. They always say that unless you have something, you don't really understand it. Which I find to be very true. If you don't have anxiety, you can say you understand it but at the same time, you probably actually don't.

Anxiety is like something that can limit you from going out or from living life to the fullest. There's also separation anxiety which if you're a college student, makes living away from home a lot more difficult. Especially when your loved ones and your closest friends are spread out amongst surrounding states.

Sometimes you end up using a mental illness as a "crutch." It's not intentional, it just happens. You might blame something on "your anxiety" and sometimes it might be an excuse. But sometimes it actually is what stops you.

I'm not here to say that anxiety can be your excuse for everything you do wrong in life. There's been times I've missed out on a gathering or event because I was simply too anxious. It's going to happen in life from time to time. Medication makes it tolerable and subsidizes those feelings. But they're never going to go away completely. Most people end up hiding their illness and you would never expect that they go through the same thing you do.

When something happens, maybe you said the wrong thing for example. If someone says "it's ok" or they accept your apology. You hear it but your mind doesn't stop. You constantly think of how bad you feel and how sorry you are. That person said it was ok, but you can't help as if to feel that it's not.

If you're not a drinker, you might avoid going out. You might feel as if no one likes you or wants to be with you because you don't drink. It amazes me how much people rely on drinking for a good time. Alcohol isn't everything in life. You can still have a good time without it. So even when you think no one wants to be with you because you don't drink, when you get anxious over that idea, it will get better. You'll find friends that will create a healthy balance for you. So you don't have to drink on the weekends to have fun. You'll find people who will want to hang out with you, alcohol or not.

Anxiety is worrying over that test you just took or that's coming up. Anxiety is worrying about constructive criticism for hours on end. Anxiety can eat you up. But you have to fight back at it. It's not the easiest thing. But with time and help, you can help to simmer down that "anxiety monster" that's "eating you up" on the inside. Even when the anxiety causes a panic attack or makes you stay in bed instead of going out, just take a deep breath. As each day brings a new opportunity and another chance to keep fighting back at that monster. Anxiety might seem as if it's taken over your life. But with guidance and help, you can find the power to fight back.