We dont always go into detail about just how much mental-illness has affected and still affects our relationships with other people.
Today Ill go into how Generalized Anxiety Disorder has affected my relationships.
I have always had my difficulties when socializing and conversing with other people, but it was only aftet therapy that I began to notice hoe my Anxiety disorder and all the symptoms that accompany it affected the way I deal with people.
To be honest, I never really thought I was "rude" or "disrespectful" but in some ways my anxiety made people that I was sometimes.
Anxiety is often the cause of irritability which in my case really affected my relationship with my parents. Before I started therapy I was often involved in arguments with my parents about just about anything, sometimes even stupid little things like what ingredients my dad was using in the food when he was cooking, although my food related anxiety issues is a story for another day.
For years I struggled to feel close to anyone because I couldn't feel like I trusted anyone or be affectionate because I felt so separate and distant from other people and this in turn made me feel so alone in my struggle with my mental-illness.
I battled with feeling misunderstood because it just felt like everyone was against me. I must say though that even though i still struggle I have since improved on that front all because of therapy...it helped me to see how I was treating others because of my anxiety and also helped me get over a lot of fears and selfdoubt.
After I went on medication it was like I was a different/nicer person, I wasn't as irritable and could actually draw closer to people, but my journey with finding the right fit medication wise is also a story for another time.
Mental-illness has the power to negatively impact is and our relationships but we have the power and strength to change that negative aspects of us into a positive by identifying the problem area and challenging our own minds to change...and yes it is always more easier said than done...the point is it CAN be done.
Having stable relationships which can then serve as a good support system plays a key role in our recovery.
Later on I will share how I started to build more meaningful lasting relationships despite the negative feedback I was getting from my anxiety.
Hope you guys found this relatable/helpful.
Till my next post! Ciao! :)