When a relative or friend exhibits anxiety disorder symptoms.
How can I get my cousin to realize that she would have a new life if she were able to control her anxiety with anti-anxiety medication? She knows she suffers. But when I tell her what I think based upon my own anxiety experiences, she waves me off saying “Never mind. I just need a new brain,” or something like that.
This weekend I visited my cousin in Florida who is in her late 60’s. We used to be very close, but since she retired to Florida we have not spent much time together. I always knew that Susan was a fellow worrier and often suffered from anxiety. However, being a bit older than me, she always took care of me like a big sister. She would listen endlessly to my rantings over the years. Now that my anxiety is under control with anti-anxiety medication, I see her in a new light. And she needs help. It is my turn to try and be her big sister. It was hard to sit by and watch her suffer. And she really does suffer from anxiety symptoms.
Susan told me her grandmother commented to her when she was a little girl that she need not stress so much about everyday things. PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE PERSPECTIVE. But Susan, like me, was never able to heed that advice. Since I know her, has been unable to sit down and watch a television program. She can’t relax. If she tries, her mind wanders and conjures up things to worry about. She must always be busy cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. Susan will be the first one to say that she can’t sit in one place for long. She has resigned herself to the fact that this is the way her life is. But I know this need not be the case.
As an anxiety sufferer I know that is not a possibility to convince myself to stop worrying about something that I KNOW is not so big a deal. Without the help of anti-anxiety medication/and therapy, I was not able to JUST SLOW MY BRAIN DOWN. For example, I always knew deep down that I should not get hysterical if my adult daughter calls me shrieking about something that is not life threatening. But back when my anxiety was a loose cannon that controlled me, a phone call like that would set me reeling. Susan had a phone call like that yesterday. And she was knocked off her feet. Again. Earlier in the day she was flipping out because her computer was down and the 2nd repair technician had not arrived yet. Don’t get me wrong, I also become frustrated over my computer being down. But Susan was VERY DISTRESSED. After he left, she had to take a nap.
Susan often has to go lie down after an episode of anxiety. The only thing she will do to help herself is take an occasional xanax. We all know that is a band aid which wears off all too quickly. I spoke with her husband to try and enlist his help in dragging Susan to see a psychiatrist. He acknowledged that she suffers too much. He suggested taking her to her internist for a prescription, but I warned him away from taking a shorter path that might result in a failure in finding the right anti-anxiety “cocktail “for his wife.
I spent a great deal of time trying to explain to Susan how much I empathize with her anxious suffering. During the 2 days that I was visiting, I witnessed her jumping out of her skin several times for small aggravations. She need not live like that. I don’t care how old she thinks she is. Susan deserves to have the next years of her life be as anxiety free as possible. Maybe if she reads this it will help open her eyes.
Tags: nervous, agitated, unable to relax, easily upset, lack of perspective, jittery, denial
- Posted in : generalized anxiety disorder
- Author : freebird
Comments»
Hi! I think this blog is great, and it seems like you and I are more or less pulling on the same piece of rope so to speak. Why don’t you pop over to Anxiety 2 Calm when you get a chance, and if you like what you see I’ll link to you from my blog.
Keep it up!