Anxiety: a broad but brutal term.

While I don't know the verbatim definition for what anxiety means, I definitely know that it is a term that is loosely used throughout today's society. I know that this topic can be a bit of a touchy subject, and it may be easier to write about more lighthearted topics such as food and fashion, yet I am so drawn to this particular issue because there are millions of people who deal with this on the daily. Personally, I like to bottle up my feelings for fear of being vulnerable, but I am very curious to see how others deal with their feelings and if they struggle with "anxiety". I often find my wondering things like is anxiety self diagnosable, how many people deal with it, how stressed you have to be in order to call your feelings anxiety, etc. If you look on dictonary.com, the exact definitions for anxiety are: distress or uneasiness of mind caused by fear of danger or misfortune, earnest but tense desire; eagerness, and a state of apprehension and psychic tension occurring in some forms of mental disorder. Wow. I find myself wondering, which term describes anxiety the best? What do you think? Is there any exact definition for anxiety, or does it vary from person to person? Could my fear of public speaking, guns, germs, and holes actually be anxiety, or are they just concoctions of my constant overthinking? Personally, I don't think anyone can directly define anxiety because, again, there are tons of forms of anxiety and each persons' anxiety can be totally different! Since I am trying to immerse myself into what anxiety truly is, some truly shocking facts are that Anxiety in teenagers is wayyy more common than you would think. "25% of American teens between 13 and 18 are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder at some point" (Newport Academy). One out of every four teenagers you meet has anxiety- that is crazy! This just proves the underlying issues all individuals carry on their back each and every day. While I am no certified physiatrist or doctor, I believe that today's society, with the constant comparison to others through social media, can play a hefty part of this major issue. This piece of writing is just an intro into my fascination with how others deal with their personal issues, I will definitely continue to post my opinions about this! If you have anything to about this topic, feel free to contact me!

Much Love,

Eva :)