Why Women With Anxiety Are Stronger Than You Think (http://www.rebelcircus.com/blog/why-women-with-anxiety-are-stronger-than-you-think/)
May 4, 2017
Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety disorders as men, The Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports. The women who brave the crippling effects of anxiety in their day-to-day life deserve some recognition for their strength. Anxiety is not easy, and life can be even worse. Here, we highlight why women with anxiety are stronger than you think.
Every day is a battle. Every day can bring something new, and it’s not always exciting. A woman with anxiety finds herself facing a fear on a daily basis. She grapples with her thoughts, finds ways to calm herself down and tries to stop the onslaught of panic attacks while most people are idly drinking coffee and going about their days.
Their sensitivity gives them emotional depth. Anxiety allows you to be in touch with your emotions. Women with anxiety feel everything intensely. Their emotional nature makes them dependable friends and supportive partners, who will support you even when they really need the support themselves.
They think things through. An anxious mind is always running. A woman with anxiety is constantly consumed with the future and plans everything accordingly. Her life, although to her feels in shambles, is carefully thought out. Her dedication to fighting for an easier tomorrow is impressive.
They are smart as hell. Google is the best friend and worst enemy of the woman with anxiety. She consistently looks up events before she attends, researches jobs dutifully before interviews and always studies to avoid the worst-case scenarios that are constantly popping up in her head. This desire for knowledge, though based in fear, produces a strong and informed mind.
They have to deal with skeptical people. They constantly hear things like “Don’t worry about it” and “It’s all in your head.” All they really want is someone to listen, not to be judged or have their real feelings dismissed. However, people still relay these messages of skepticism to anxious women, and they put up with it, on top of everything else.
They understand that you don’t understand. No one wants anxiety; no one wants to be the one constantly worrying about the small things. So, if you aren’t constantly on the verge of your next panic attack, it easy to ignore it’s existence. But just know sometimes anxiety makes even leaving your house a difficult and emotionally grueling task, but more often than not, they do it anyway.
They never stop trying. If you are friends with a woman with anxiety, and you don’t see her struggling, it’s because she’s trying extremely hard to cope with them. Not for you, but for herself. She’ll try exercise, healthier foods, sleeping teas, etc—all so that she can function in life as effortlessly as her friends.
They always care. Even though their brain tells them to constantly worry about themselves and stressful events, they still find time to care of their friends. They still find time to listen to a heartbroken friend. They even sometimes brave big crowds when they aren’t feeling it because they want to make you happy. It’s so easy to be selfish with anxiety, but more often than not, they are selfless.
They’re strong. Relationships are difficult and tricky, and navigating them without letting anxious thoughts ruin them is one of their biggest strengths. This is in regards to both romantic and platonic relationships. They see themselves as baggage and it takes real strength to allow someone to get close enough to see that.
They’re masters of their own fate. Feeling helpless is too easy for a woman with anxiety. She becomes a master of her own fate, a strong woman who pushes through in order to become a resilient human rather than the powerless person her anxiety tries to make her. The victim card is not an option.
They fight back. Sometimes when it feels like people are using the disorder to define their character, they fight back. Anxiety ridden woman refuse to let their weakness define them, but focus on the strength that comes with fighting a daily battle with their own head.
They try. If they gave in to their anxiety at every moment, they would live underneath their duvet covers with a happy movie playing on loop. They are consistently drained and exhausted—both emotionally and physically, but they continually go outside and make strides in becoming a normal member of society. They may take naps, but they are not lazy.
They are forgiving. They forgive when you’re moody or upset or when you can’t pull yourself out of a funk. They’ve been there. They won’t judge you, but they will lend you a empathetic ear. They know struggles and they don’t judge you for yours.
They’re complex. They are complicated creatures and they can be unpredictable and mysterious, but it’s not in a ‘lead in the indie movie’ romantic way—it’s just their life. They can’t control it, but they roll with it. They are admirable because of the cunning ways they disguise their fear, through humor or mystery or simply a hapless smile, to make you feel comfortable around them.
They lead. Anxiety follows them around like a shadow, but they always make sure they are leading the way. They are the leaders of their life and even though they succumb to the effects of anxiety on occasion (through no fault of their own) they get up again. That’s strength.
