Anxiety as an excuse

[Nelly5678]

Don't get me wrong! I know some people genuinely have anxiety issues, but is it just me or has suddenly in the past year everyone "has an anxiety disorder" the second they feel nervous over the slightest thing??? It's really starting to annoy me how people blame eveything on their anxiety, when all I wanna do is scream at them that they don't have anxiety!!! I can't be the only one...?

Unless you know exactly what's going on in everyone else's lives and minds, you're talking rubbish.

I think too many people mistake being anxious for having anxiety.

anxiety is perfectly normal, its a proportional response to a situation.

Having 'anxiety' in the clinical sense is a NON proportional response to a situation, either being over-anxious, or having anxiety where non is needed.

I was diagnosed with anxiety and clinical stress 19 years ago, I've been medicated for it on and off but its well managed, largely because I've learned to recognise proportionate and normal anxiety from the abnormal anxiety, and when the latter is starting to impact on my quality of life.

IE - worrying about driving in the snow -normal

Being so scared you can't even get in the car and put the key in the ignition because you'll get stuck on the drive, break the car trying to reverse it, skid on the ice and kill yourself and your children - not normal.

thinking someone has hacked you and changing a password - normal
spending 6 hours changing every single password you, deleting accounts and 1000s of posts on a forum while feeling sick, hyperventilating and ticking physically - not normal.

seeing a brown envelope drop through your door and wondering what it is - normal

Jumping the moment the postbox clunks and then sitting on the sofa curled up in a ball rocking/crying because you can't even bring yourself to go pick the post up off the mat because it'll have bad news and you're going to lose everything and they'll take your children off you because you're crazy - not normal.

I think I understand what you are saying

The real issue is that it minimises it for people who actually suffer from a medical condition

I’m stressed had be come I have anxiety

I’m particular about certain things > ocd

I’m very down > I have depression

I worry about health stuff > health anxiety

Most of these conditions have very stringent criteria for full diagnosis. People using the term to discribe themselves without an actual diagnoses does seem to be in the rise and must be very difficult for people with actual diagnosis who have to live with it

Obviously, anxiety, depression and OCD are real conditions that have a significant negative impact on those who suffer. They are serious medical conditions.

However, I agree that lots of people say things like "I have anxiety", "I'm depressed" or "I'm a bit OCD" when they really mean "I'm a bit down" or "I'm worried about something" or "I like to be tidy". I think it's lazy hyperbole TBH. It is annoying, especially when this is used as an excuse for doing something/not having done something they were meant to have done . Obviously, you may not know the truth regarding every individual you come across but sometimes you do.

I do have it. I've been diagnosed with GAD (global anxiety disorder). In reality it's because I am absolutely terrified of the 'war on terror crap being run by people we know for a fact were involved in running the gas chambers of WW2. And I'm Irish descent so we really, really don't like these people....

I just think people are talking about anxiety and mental health more.

Bills, debt...health...drink..drugs also add to the rise this day in age xx

I think it's more to do with us being able to discuss our mental health problems in the hope people will make allowances even if they don't understand. You wouldn't question someone who said they had cancer.

I agree to an extent that anxiety is medicalised too much these days, and has become a ‘trendy’ mental health disorder to have, or easy to be blasé about.

However, having had a severe breakdown because of clinical anxiety, I can safely say it is NOT something to be blasé about and it pretty much ruined most of 2015 for me. I hater every second of the helpless, panicked, mentally tortured confines of my mind being out of control, and would be furious if anyone compared what I went through to everyday ‘worrying’ or situational anxiety and general mild woes.
My anxiety became so crippling that I didn’t sleep completely for nearly a fortnight and hated everything that I couldn’t control. I’m never going back there again, and I’ve seriously considered a career change in counselling or something that offers help for those with mental health problems.

I’d hate for others to suffer like I did.

You are welcome nicecup. If there’s anything else I can help you with, just let me know.

No Mary but you might pull someone up on their use of OCD when they mean ‘a bit tidy’.

Anxiety, along with depression, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, ADD, ASD and a whole host of other mental or neurological disorders are used in common parlance to excuse or explain behaviours that might be seen as negative or causing harm. So while it means that these things are better publicised and have less of a stigma attached, it also means that the very real impact for actual sufferers is diluted by those that claim PTSD from a Hoover catching on fire.

Also, I do think that sometimes MN while in the whole helpful, can create a bit of an echo chamber where you doubt yourself too much. Sometimes I catch myself starting a post about something so completely mundane and pedestrian, and have to take a second to realise pre-MN I would never have fretted over whether washing my sheets once or twice a week was ok or not.

I totally agree OP.

There has been a massive increase in the number of people claiming that anxiety prevents them from pulling their weight (whether at work or at home) and complying with social norms/obligations.

Perhaps they are all medically diagnosed.

In which case there is a raging epidemic.

But the more likely explanation is that there are a significant number of people are swinging the lead and using this as an excuse. And anyone who challenges it is hauled up for lacking compassion and discriminating against those with mental health issues.

There's also an element of groupthink. Because it has become acceptable to say "I can't do X because I have anxiety", people are quick to assume that that is true of themselves rather than pushing through and coping.

Oh and as a postscript nicecup - way to go you for singling someone out for sarcasm on a thread about mental health.

Fortunately I’m recovered sufficiently enough at present from my severe mixed depression and anxiety (for which I spent three months in hospital this time last year) that your comment hasn’t destroyed me.

As you will have seen from pps on this thread, many DO NOT know the difference between clinical and non-clinical anxiety.

Be kind.

In the past, someone with anxiety or depression might have drank themselves to death. Now, we can admit to it and get help for it.

However I do think that social media makes anxiety and depression worse.

Funnily enough my husband and I were talking about this earlier.
I have had severe anxiety over the past 7 years, it literally put a halt on my life for five years, and still ruins a good 50-/60% of my life now.
My point is I do and have suffered anxiety, BUT for the past few years I've known many people who say "oh my anxiety" and have genuinely never seen a dr, or had a panic attack and it's over, then they talk of their battle to overcome anxiety.

I find it offensive. It seems like many people have forgotten that anxiety is a normal feeling for people to feel at times of stress, but it's not normal to feel it every waking day, to have intrusive thoughts, physical symptoms and panic attacks.

when all I wanna do is scream at them that they don't have anxiety!!!
And you know this how?
Congrats too you, be grateful you don't suffer, it's debilitating.

@GertrudeBelle

I bring my anxiety up as little as possible, and would have a hard time using it as an excuse because talking about it causes me anxiety - did I say something stupid, are people judging me, etc. even though I work in a very supportive office. A lot easier not to talk about it.

YABU.

Expressing anxiety over something is the same as expressing happiness or anger. It is an emotion. Please see definition below.

"Anxietyis anemotioncharacterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People withanxiety disorders usually have recurring intrusive thoughts or concerns. They may avoid certain situations out of worry."

You really have no idea whethere some is anxious or whether they do have a disorder.

YABU OP because it's on the rise and people know it's an actual condition now...so you're hearing about it more.

YABVU. Anxiety is not a excuse. It's a dIliberating reason.
I should know until was put on propranolol I would shake, go hot and cold, feel my heart beating out of chest. Even the sound of the post coming through the letter box would terrify me
You really should not comment on something you clearly know very little about.
It's very concerning that people still have these attitudes towards MH In the 21st century

I agree op. People refuse to do things that make most people anxious and use anxiety as an excuse. See this in work all the time. Its a natural survival response people should man up
There are much less people with genuine anxiety disorders than say they have it and it cheapens it for people who genuinally struggle.

For myself, Its the difference between not wanting to do something that you don’t want to do, and not being able to do something that you want to do.

Putting off giving a presentation because you don’t like public speaking, makes sense.

Sitting in the car, unable to get out and go meet friends, for no discernible reason, is an issue.

I suffer from absolute debilitating anxiety. I get anxious about something, could be anything and it renders me totally unable to deal with life. This is to the extent that I cannot even move from the sofa.

I have had medication and counselling and it is a lot better than it was, even at this point last year. I now can see myself falling into the spiral and have coping strategies to prevent it being as debilitating as it was.

I have had a recent bad phase, but recognised what was happening and took major steps to prevent myself getting worse, but my goodness it was bloody hard to do and I am only just feeling like myself again..

Then you come along OP and tell me it is an excuse.

user1497863568

What are you talking about? Who is really responsible for the war on terror and the holocaust ?