Anxiety Can Make You Seem LAZY
I recently read an article of which I will be linking below. The article focuses on how anxiety can make one come across as non caring, bitchy, apathetic, and the list goes on. I have encountered all of these issues in my life. I've suffered from extreme diagnosed anxiety for as long as I can remember. This article helps me understand why I've lost friends. Yes, i am listening but my anxiety numbs me, i feel dissociated most of the time and formulating the response you need isn't always easy!
That brings me to why I titled this blog as I did. My closest friends, colleagues, family know i am a hard worker and bring all i have to the table. But not everyone sees or even knows that! Anxiety can invoke mutism in me. I'm so anxious , I'm just trying to get through the day i may come across as uninteresting or just doing the bare minimum. You may be wondering well what is mutism....
Well there you go. Clearly this ties into other issues as well. Here is a perfect example of how anxiety invokes mutism at work - now we have an anxious person who's not talking or smiling.
o workers we then become the "strange" one, or the "quiet" one, or the "disinterested " one. I went to school six years to do what i do for a living, when I'm already anxious and get bombarded i become this ball of anxiety. People think i don't "want to go the extra mile". I do! I love My job! I'm not a snob, a bitch, or apathetic. But i need more time to process all things with my anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, we live in a world where that is largely misunderstood.
So what to do? ? Luckily, i work in the health care field. Mental illness is not as stigmatized these days as it once was. Talk to HR. get documented paperwork in so that you can make use of MENTAL HEALTH DAYS without risking your job through use of intermittent FMLA.
I've done the above and its been a life saver. I get comments frequently about how i seem happier and more engaged at work by my boss who also knows of my condition.
You may be surprised at the understanding and accommodations that can be made for anxiety disorders . Mine stems from PTSD so that gave my intermittent FMLA paperwork extra ammo.
Understanding how My ANXIETY WAS COMING ACROSS to others was a big help.
http://thoughtcatalog.com/holly-riordan/2017/03/anxiety-makes-you-look-like-a-snob/
That's a very interesting article there. Even though it might sound obvious that anxiety can cause all those traits in a person, in everyday life I definitely think that most people would not think, "I wonder what is CAUSING this person to be...shy/"lazy"/apathetic"..etc etc. We can definitely learn something from this post and I think that it is not to assume the worst in people and to take the time understand others.
Thank you for your comment. Absolutely we shouldn't assume. Even when i can tell someone is having a bad day and being "bitchy" i always try to think - hey, we have no idea what that person is going through when they clock out and go home.
Exactly! I really hope you're doing well!
Thanks! I take it day by day. Some days are easier than others. Have yourself a great day friend
Love the angle of this post. For me having anxiety was at least a 50% job. I guess i must have come across as shy or arrogant. You just dont have the energy to be the real you. Always scared of conflict or disagreeing people. So you just end up like no one. When i realized that my weakness was the worst thing i could do to myself i started working on getting strong. When youre anxious, youre weak. And that is not a virtue at all.
I suppose the source of an anxiety driven life must first be looked at. For me mine is from PTSD, so i don't necessarily view it as a weakness. HOWEVER, if i fail to address it or the work on coping strategies that is a weakness
thank you for this post. it might be 3 months old, but it has helped me to verify a few things about my childhood. just want to let you know it helped.
Thanks @torico!!
The realizations in this post helped me tremendously!! Thanks for letting me know, glad it could help