Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. It consists of many side effects that can greatly affect one’s everyday life. It can stop one from going out with friends, it can make one miss a day or days of school or work. It’s hard to be open about things going on in one’s life in fear of rejection.

We’re sorry to anyone who went to high-school with us, or goes to highschool with us. Rather we isolated ourselves from you, or seemed rude, we didn’t mean it. To all the people we got paired up with for presentations, we’re sorry that we shied out and got a zero on it, or did a horrible job and got a bad grade. Communicating is hard enough, and doing it infront of many others is much worse.

If something is wrong, don’t pressure us into telling you. Having anxiety puts your brain in a million places at once, and it makes it hard to concentrate. We’ll tell you when we’re ready. This doesn’t mean we’re trying to keep our feelings from you, it means that we can’t focus on getting anything out.

If we’re having an anxiety or panic attack, ‘just calm down’ doesn’t work. It’s like telling somebody with a cut to ‘stop bleeding.’ It doesn’t work that way. All we want is your support, or even a hug. Attacks like those aren’t we can always stop or prevent. The only way out is to just let it ride its high until it’s over.

Cancelling plans is something that is going to happen if we have any type of relationship. Rather it’s skipping a family dinner in fear that your cousin’s new boyfriend isn’t going to like you, or missing a night out with some friends because you’re nervous to be away from home so long. It’s going to happen sooner or later. We’re sorry that we have to let something like this get in the way.

Keeping up with work or school is extremely hard. We miss a lot of days, and get overwhelmed with the amount of work we have to keep up with. Dealing with this disorder takes away so much time in our lives. If you see us looking or feeling a little off, give us time. Don’t put the pressure of work on top of the pressure of anxiety.

It’s so much more than just being nervous. Anxiety goes on and on and doesn’t stop like normal jitters. It is an actual problem with the serotonin levels in our brain. Anxiety isn’t always the thought of a known threat. It happens for no apparent reason.

No matter what, I will always be the person who came to know. Anxiety may get in they way, but it will never affect the relationship we have. I know it can seem absurd at times, but please don’t give up on me. Give me the space I need, but please, don’t forget me.