Controversial subject.. Anxiety in Z list superstars

[Doyadoyadoya]

Name changed for this as I'm fairly sure this will spark debate.. I am on Instagram, I've seen a sudden rise in Z list celebrities alleging they have anxiety.. It almost feels like its "fashionable" and plays disservice to those genuinely who do have anxiety related issues.
Or am I seeing it incorrectly? Surely the pressure of fame, spotlight and constant media attention can cause anxiety in these celebrities.. I don't know, I just wondered what others think?

I may get flamed but I agree with you my Dsis has anxiety, she’s been sectioned, had to retake a year of uni, struggles to hold down a job and gets suicidal if living independently.
People (usually undiagnosed) saying they have anxiety, when actually they just feel anxious at some situations makes it so much harder for people with actual anxiety disorders to explain how serious their condition is.

Yes, I think you have a point OP. It's so difficult because it may be genuine anxiety that they are feeling able to open up about, or it may be a bit of jumping on the bandwagon.

Yes, it’s offensive.
I have diagnosed GAD and I’m on beta blockers, it’s bloody exhausting and seeing all these pouty idiots claiming to have anxiety while getting their tits out or shirtless blokes with a far off look on their faces sitting on the grass makes me want to vomit.
This is why I try to avoid these types of fuckwits

Surely they are not claiming they gave a recognised condition, they are just saying they get anxious. I often am open about how silly things make me very anxious to people to show everyone gets it about different things.

I agree with you. Some bloody awful woman was banging on about people essentially appropriating her daughter's anxiety 🙄 While I except that it's annoying when vaguely tidy people talk about having OCD, everyone has fucking anxiety, ffs.

accept

Or it’s talked about more and so they feel more comfortable talking about It.
You never know what’s going on I’m other people’s lives.

Being dismissed as it’s not that serious is part of the problem. IMO.

@burnoutbabe

Surely they are not claiming they gave a recognised condition, they are just saying they get anxious. I often am open about how silly things make me very anxious to people to show everyone gets it about different things.

There is difference between saying "x makes me anxious" and "I have anxiety".

I agree with OP. I have friends witha anxiety and it's absolutely not something I would pretend to have. No one should

I agree with you. DD suffers from anxiety and is on fluoxetine and beta blockers. I get really irritated by people who claim anxiety when they are just feeling a bit nervous.

It minimises it for people with genuine anxiety.

It makes people feel they are educated about mental illness
However long term, chronic metal illnesses such as schizophrenia, mood disorders are still very much stigmatised

As PP have said, when you see such people doing incredibly stressful things in the public eye; things that would make anyone feel anxious I do think that it undermines those who live with anxiety which stops them doing every day activities.

Anxiety is a normal feeling experienced by everyone in some situations. I think if it is not stopping you from doing normal, every day things that the average person would feel calm about then it's not Anxiety with a capital A iyswim.

A family member has developed GAD in their 50s having never suffered in that way before. When they are experiencing a bout, they cannot bear to be left alone, or participate in social situations. They are in a near constant state of nervousness and it needs controlling with medication.

I think we need to normalise anxiety a bit. It’s a normal thing to experience in anxious times.
A disorder is often a chemical imbalance or a result of trauma. I do fully believe we have a ton of traumatised people, more than we realise.
I also think it’s normal for brits to pretend they are ok when they aren’t so that’s going to lead do unresolved issues, that will cause an anxiety spike.

For work, I dealt with a specialist tribunal panel who saw 10 cases over the course of last week.

Every. single. complainant. out of the 10 cited having mental health issues and anxiety as a reason for positive mitigation. When questioned further 'I'm a bit worried and sad' was the actual fact of the matter.

I have anxiety (diagnosed, medicated, therapied, you name it).

Most people I know don’t know. I am very good at masking it. If I choose to tell someone about it they are often surprised as I seem so “level-headed”.

I have learned not to judge others.

I have CPTSD that mostly manifests in extreme anxiety that has to be controlled with beta blockers (daily) diazepam (when needed, around once a month for a few days) and Pregabalin (daily, taken at night).

There are still things that make me anxious eg exams, but that’s normal. However my brain no longer knows that and reacts the same to bloody everything and it’s exhausting.

I have diagnosed GAD and OCD. I don't take medication and those around me wouldn't know of my suffering. Just because someone isn't being sectioned or on beta blockers doesn't mean they don't have anxiety.

I wonder when is the tipping point that it becomes just "normal". If everyone has it, it's not a diagnosis, is it?
I am not sure how to explain. I am not diminishing genuine anxiety (wouldn't want to live with that), I just mean... If there is 100 people and 15 have anxiety it's taken by people differently than when it's 85 out of hundred. At some point it just becomes "normal thing" like any other emotion in the eyes of people and caring stops. Which would be massive issue for people with severe anxiety imo

My children’s school does quite a lot of sensible talking about the difference between feeling anxious and worried about a new thing, which is totally normal, and that worry stopping you doing things you would like to do, or enjoy doing , which is not.
I talk a lot to my boys about that feeling of butterflies when they’re off to try a new thing or doing a tennis match or going to a party etc, why we feel like that, how it can help us (and would have helped us in caveman days) but it’s actually good to feel nervous but to go ahead and push through that and do the thing anyway.
That’s very different in my knowledge to anxiety which would stop people living their normal life.
I think the terms get bandied around though - even my 10 year old sometimes says “oh I’m so socially anxious” and I’m like “no you’re not you just don’t like doing zoom calls”
When I was younger though it was people saying “I’m so OCD” when they just meant that they like things tidy.
I guess in some ways it’s good to normalise it, but I can see how annoying it would be if you felt it minimised people with a diagnosed disorder.

Can't stand judgemental pricks who think that because they have anxiety that if they see someone else say they've got anxiety they automatically don't believe them. Are you in their head? how the fuck do you know whether they're just a bit nervous? I've had ptsd and have ongoing anxiety and depression. I'm very very good at masking it. Id never dream of saying that someone else who said they have anxiety was making it up for attention - which is basically what this thread is about. Who am i to question it?

Name changed for this as I'm fairly sure this will spark debate.

Too scared to stand behind your own opinion of other people's mental health?

As someone with diagnosed anxiety I think it's great to have more mention of it in the media. Do I believe every single person who says they have it actually understand what it is and even if they have it? No, I don't. That's not to say A)I couldn't be VERY wrong or B) what THEY feel feels like anxiety for them. It isn't my place to dictate to another human whether they do or not suffer from mental illness.
It doesn't change that getting it out in the media may make more people who don't live with anxiety prick their ears up and look into it a little. Ignorance around mental health is still rife and if these people (not entirely sure why there needed to be focus on them being Z-list celebrities. Do we only trust A Listers?) can help bring awareness then I'm all for it

I think normalising talking about MH issues is important.
Too often people don't ask for help when they need to because of social stigmas.
At the moment 'celebrities' being open about this kind of issue, even if some are 'only anxious' is probably still more beneficial than harmful.

DD and I have 'lost' over a year to her anxiety. It's heartbreaking.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

I wonder when is the tipping point that it becomes just "normal". If everyone has it, it's not a diagnosis, is it? I am not sure how to explain. I am not diminishing genuine anxiety (wouldn't want to live with that), I just mean... If there is 100 people and 15 have anxiety it's taken by people differently than when it's 85 out of hundred. At some point it just becomes "normal thing" like any other emotion in the eyes of people and caring stops. Which would be massive issue for people with severe anxiety imo

Agreed. I feel sick with nerves at random things. Attending fancy meals. I will be sick. Now I sort of just push through it and feel better once it's happened but I have had meals where I have left the restaurant with pretty much a panic attack.

I don't take medication, I did some cbt on distractions techniques and I speak about it to people (as some of the fear is what will people think).

So have I "anxiety" or am I just anxious about certain things, which causes intense physical symptoms at the time.

Well, I can't believe those who are unaware of the phenomenon of people wanting to draw a bit of attention to themselves. Fewer than 1 in 10 people who claimed to have a gluten allergy or intolerance, were confirmed to actually have one, in one blind study conducted not long ago. It's perfectly possible that some people claim to have 'Anxiety-with-a-big-A' when they don't.