*Disclamer I have never suffered form severe Anxiety Disorder. I am not trying to explain what it feels like because quite frankly I don't know.
I have dealt with anxiety from an outsider's point of view. I cannot tell you what it feels like nor could I tell you what exactly goes through a victim's head. I can only tell you what it feels like to be in the presence of one who suffers from Anxiety Disorder.
My Experience with Anxiety...
When I was 10, my mom suddenly went through a phase in her life where she was depressed, emotional, and weak all at the same time. This phase, along with the symptoms, can also be very well known to our world as "anxiety".
When I first learned that my mom suffered from anxiety I panicked. Being ten I did not understand what anxiety was or meant. My first thought: "Is she going to be okay? Will she survive?". Later I was told that my mom's anxiety was a way of her body telling her that enough was enough. That made me feel better.
How Anxiety Comes to Be...
Anxiety is usually triggered by something that makes you feel anxious or nervous. It can be triggered when you are out of your comfort zone. It can be triggered when you are trying something new. In my mom's case it was always while driving: dangerous I know. At first she did her best to keep driving--not the best choice if it is causing. However, once she realized it wasn't getting any better, she quit all together.
Her decision to quit driving does lay quite a burden on my sister and I. We lost rides to friends houses; we lost a mom that volunteered at schools; we lost a mom that was friends with every other mom; we lost a mom who wanted to keep us as her precious little babies. The loss of rides became especially hard for my sister and I because many times we had to opt out on hanging out with friends because we didn't have a ride. This caused us to become less and less welcome to parties, and "play dates".
Aftermath...
Even though our family went through a difficult phase of life missing out on opportunities to keep my mom healthy, my mom's anxiety brought us closer as a family and helped us realize that there is more to life than just friends, there is family.
