Mental illness is a part of life that many of us still don’t understand or know how to talk about. And even though anxiety disorders remain the most common form of mental illness in the country, the stigma society has created continues to make it difficult for those affected by them to ask for help and open up about their daily struggles.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 40 million Americans aged 18 or older suffer from anxiety.
And approximately half of people diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with some form of anxiety, like OCD, PTSD, phobias, and Panic Disorder.
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It’s pretty hard to imagine with numbers like that, as a society, we still aren’t able to fully come together and offer unrelenting support to those who face unimaginable hurdles each and every day — ones that are often not physically visible.
Callie Amelia Theodore is one of those people who lives with anxiety, and a few weeks ago, she took to Facebook to demonstrate to others the difficulties that come with her disorder.
She also showed how sometimes the simplest actions can make a world of difference, especially when it comes to relationships.
She started off her post with a quote from Thought Catalogue:
“Someone with anxiety is inclined to assume everyone is going to leave. The truth is they battle something they can’t control and there is a sense of insecurity within themselves when it comes to relationships.”
Callie also shared two images: one of her and her boyfriend, Chris, and another of a text conversation they had recently shared.
All too often, messages like the one Callie sent Chris are viewed as “crazy” or “smothering,” especially if they’re a common occurrence.
Unfortunately, too many people don’t take the time to dig deeper when it comes to their partner’s insecurities or fears and abandon ship before things get “too intense.”
However, Callie and Chris are proof that just because someone is sensitive or needs reassurance about things, it doesn’t mean they’re not worth fighting for.
“It’s hard loving someone who suffers from anxiety. They will be over sensitive, they will make up scenarios in their head causing an argument, and constant reassurance is needed,” Callie writes.
“Find yourself someone who doesn’t make you feel like loving you is a job.”
“Someone who will assure of you the little things. Someone who doesn’t tell you that you’re overreacting. Someone that will rock you on the floor in the dead middle of an anxiety attack. Find someone that no matter how hard you push them, they do not leave.”
She ends her post with a YouTube link, which leads to a video Chris made outlining his personal struggle with depression and how mental illness is something that remains severely misunderstood.
“It’s okay not to be okay, and a big part of that is having a strong team around you,” he says.
So far, Callie’s post has over 60,000 reactions, more than 39,000 comments, and nearly 138,000 shares.
