Ever notice so called "normies" tune out when you mention "anxiety"?

Including doctors. I almost don't even want to use the word anymore since it seems to have lost all meaning and it always results in the "every body has it" pep talk...

Yea it's kind of a ubiquitous term these days. My friend once told me that "having anxiety is like having nothing." I think he meant that being anxious or having anxiety is just a thing people say - I don't think he realized how awful anxiety can be if you suffer from extreme anxiety or a pathological anxiety disorder. Having never really experienced intense and ongoing anxiety for himself, he had no appreciation for the severity of a true anxiety / panic disorder and therefore came to the conclusion that anxiety isn't really that bad.

Yeah, I kind of dislike how the term "anxiety" gets thrown around these days, now that you mention it. The minute somebody feels fear in a social situation or a situation where it inconveniences them, they "suffer from anxiety". Like, listen, buddy. Everybody feels anxious going to a job interview. That's just how it is. Once the fear actually stops you from going to the job interview, then we'll talk.

Social phobia shouldn't conflate with anxious feelings everyone gets from time to time. It's not something I'd bicker about with somebody though.

I reckon all that's happened is it's grown to be an umbrella term for a lot of uncomfortable feelings, and people feel weird trying to explain it as more than "anxiety." Personally I don't think any less of it just because it's more commonly used.

This is pretty much it.

Yeah I hate that. Everybody says that these days like it's hip or something. The thing is these people don't really know what anxiety means. They're making it harder for people who actually suffer from anxiety to be taken seriously. When your fear completely rules over what you can and can't do in this life, that's when you have anxiety.

The normies who're plugged into reality are always tuned out by everything I do.


Normies are the reason why I can't get income or a career. I recall having a shelter job developer telling me that my email sounds like a teenager or society will perceive me as a teenager. Another time, I had a doctor telling me that I behave like a teenager. I'm always being lectured by people, because of how the A.I Computers reprogrammed the people mental process about me.

Yea "normies" have never had social anxiety or a panic attack to the extent that people on this site have experienced. To a outgoing non anxious person they cannot relate to us at all. Not their fault really its just something something they have no experience with and dont understand. They should have empathy for others experiencing problems in this area however

I've found unless its related to food/drink, making money or procreation, most "normies" don't wanna hear about it, our core value is as an automated biological factory protecting the hive, it's pretty boring & repetitive : /

Screw you if your factories broken, more resources for mine, now let me rub your face in it constantly like that's some sort of trophy!! (even though in reality it's likely a pewp pie)

Yeah or they say they have it too, and try to compete about it.

I'm guilty of downplaying it, not intentionally. I used to have panic attacks years ago and I forget about what it felt like and not knowing what to do for myself in those moments to keep mostly calm till is passes, I forget I even had them unless the topic is brought up. I think anyone can overcome them. Meditation was the way for me. I'd actually say for me, meditation was the building block that supported everything else I did to overcome obstacles that come from within like anxiety, fear or panic and continue to work on.

Most people, from my observation; are quite solipsistic and sometimes, the solipsism is unintentional but it is still prevalent.

You tell someone about your problems and they usually have to find some way to make the conversation about themselves or else they would be completely uninterested in conversing with you.

This goes for so called "normies", other anxious people, other depressed people et cetera; Which is one reason why I find most conversations with people to be completely unfulfilling.

The human ego is quite obtuse and hard to satiate.

Unfortunately, yes. Or what I had some teachers said way back in school, it is something to 'grow out of'.

Mental illness is still very poorly understood, and even more poorly tolerated in most societies.
Unlike old times where each of us just had to fend for ourselves in our respective societies , at least we can meet up here online.

This reminds me of the time, years ago, when I read that doctors no longer gave the diagnosis of 'neurosis' because everyone in our society was neurotic. As to anxiety:

1) There's more mental health awareness. No one (not even we, members of this forum) owns the idea of 'anxiety'. I can see how it can be annoying when people throw the word around but our annoyance is proportionally insignificant when we consider people's right to talk about their mental health struggles. We don't know what people go through in their heads. Mental illness is not less valid if it occurs at one point in someone's life and is not there 'forever'. There are plenty of people with serious anxiety who have never been diagnosed. Finally, sub-clinical anxiety is still anxiety.

2) People often don't know how to react when someone confides in them about deeply personal issues, such as anxiety. They could give advice but what if you don't want their advice? They could say "sorry you are going through this" but what if you tell them you don't want their pity? What are they even supposed to say? So I don't think it's strange that many will try to lead the conversation away to other topics. Do you know what you want from them? Tell them.

(but when people are being downright dismissive ("oh, it's nothing" / "you just need to pull yourself together" / "you always have to create these problems for yourself" etc.) they really are jerks and deserve all the wrath you can throw at them)

Mental health is often related to being a "weirdo". The stigma is not as strong as it once was, but each individual can have their own way of thinking about it. Collectively, people are more opened to mental health, but individually, you'll find that a lot of people have closed minds and not much has changed in the end..

People tend to judge others lives through the lens of their own life and experiences.

If you have a person has never suffered abuse and has always had everything work out for them, they are unable to see the events that lead up to someone being traumatized. They look at struggling people and assume they just need to smile and stop being that way.

you either understand it or you don't.

I get why tho.

I'm partially normal, so I know why they do this. Same reason, if you see a stranger approach you and they look normal so you give them a benefiit of doubt they have a legit question, maybe like "you know where xyz road is??".. but, they begin saying "I need a bus ride, and... "


BOOM. You know where this is going. You instantly, become exacactly the way you are describing they do upon saying anxiety. They "lose you" at that point.

But, think of why. With the stranger on street, it's cause we had high hopes for them. We hoped they were a lost traveler, asking for directions. To discover they are in fact, "damaged", and seeking "money or change", was disappointing.

The people, who talked to you, were HOPING you were like them: normal. (Normal people have anxiety too, but don't talk about it. Like not talking about needing air, or oxygen)

Upon hearing that word, they "lost you" then. Because, that word, tells us this person is going to be that "needy friend, insecure". Not that friend to go out meet chicks post up on FB etc....


Everyone secretly is looking for that "cool friend who can raise them up socially"


To hear "anxiety", uh oh. This person might not be cool......

You know what I mean?

I remember when I told a friend in my teens I had anxiety all I really wanted was to hear something like "It's cool. Don't worry about it." Just for them to understand how I was feeling and be okay with it. I didn't want them to sit with me and talk about it or give me advice or answers. Just having them be aware of it and not making a big deal out of it but also being understanding. That's all.