Good under Pressure

Anxiety : an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.

I can honestly say this is not a problem I have; however, there are many people I know that experience these symptoms. Panic Attacks are also a part of anxiety. They suck. I can say I have had one of those, it felt like I was having a heart attack. The nice thing about crazy even if I was feeling anxious I could fake it or make it look like I was having way too much fun.

My Grandmother suffered from anxiety to the extent that it kept her from going in public sometimes. She would have panic attacks sometimes when she went to the store or even just thinking about going out. Grandma lived with us my whole life because she was afraid to live by herself.

Anxiety is a real pain in the ass for a lot of people along with depression and so we get the well love “Bi-polar disorder” but that is for another day. Anxiety alone can be so debilitating that it can make a person parallelized with fear. Most people don’t understand the magnitude this disorder. The scary thing is that there is people who function with this disorder. One minute they are OK and the next they are sitting in the ER waiting to let the medication take effect.

The sadness in all this is the shame that is associated with having any mental illness. I get so frustrated because every day I see so many people suffering and made to feel shame for not having the “strength” to overcome their illness. Can we say “Catch 22.”

So here is why I called this good under pressure, first, a person with anxiety can either be functioning working every day at a job suffering quietly with no support and thinking that it will all go away. Second, is the person who is sitting alone in a room at home unable to move or has developed a sanctuary of their home where everything is the way they want it to be safe, but they never go out in fear of the outside world. That may not sound like it is a good under pressure, but it is because that person has a way to deal with the fear. And finally, the good under pressure is the people in the suffers’ life that are watching or racing to the ER to be there to hold their hand to assure them it will be OK.

This all may sound simple in regards to a mental illness, but I’m not sure how intense you all want me to get. I will be more than happy to go and get the academic information to present. I will break out my DSM to be more professional. However, being “Crazy” myself I know that I will be at the very least adding the jokes!!!

To the Lunatic Fringe!!!!