Those Crazy Women: Feeling Anxious

A panic attack  feels as if the world is crashing down in slow motion. Palms sweaty, mouth dry, heart pounding — the mind races in every direction. Unlike depression, it pushes the world into terrifying hyper speed.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (or GAD) is not simply the usual test-taking anxiety or fear of going to a high school reunion. It means fear of driving to the airport due to the fast-paced hustle and bustle, fear of being home alone at age 25, the near-death fast breathing that comes from thinking about tomorrow’s schedule, or the emotions that come with not knowing why you feel this way. Seemingly normal activities become unbearable, largely due to subsequent panic attacks or dangerous anxiety.

Anxiety hits twice as many women as men, the same as depression. There could be a number of reasons, but my biggest fear surrounds the general health of my fellow female sufferers.

A study has found that those with GAD tend to use alcohol in order to mask their symptoms in 18.5 percent of the cases. Over 5 percent of sufferers turn to dangerous drugs in order to cope. As women, we dominate anxiety, and thus are more likely to dull our fears with drugs and alcohol.

For most people, mental disease is something shameful or unglamorous. Hell, when a celebrity comes out as bipolar, they are practically given a throne because of their willingness to share such an unpleasant part of themselves. Maybe if mental disease was accepted more, women wouldn’t be hurting themselves more by “self-medicating” with Jack and coke.

At times, anxiety disorders bring on emotions that make it feel as though it is the end of one’s life. So, she turns to outside forces to help. Some take the less glamorous route and get an anti-anxiety prescription, while others take a more “natural” approach. It may feel like the end of the world, but it rarely ever is.

Contact the author here: crazycolleen@morningquickie.com