The good news is that if you suffer from anxiety disorder, you are probably an intelligent, passionate and creative person. Unfortunately, anxiety can cause incredibly low self esteem, neediness and can make you become suspicious, clingy, short tempered, in warded and even paranoid (no one really likes you, no one will return your call, everyone thinks you are crazy). Sometimes you start worrying about every single thing you say to anyone – wondering if that was the right thing to say.

These feelings can be hard to relate to by your family and friends. Sometimes you seem o.k. on the outside, but inside all hell has broken loose and you are afraid to express your feelings and be left alone. Maybe some of your friends have already abandoned you. Not only do you try coping with anxiety,you have to cope with annoying questions and statements like these:

1. "Are you better yet?"
2. "Are your meds working yet?"
3. Why do you worry so much?"
4. Why can't you just get over it?"
5. "When are you going back to work?"
6. "Don't you know that it's all in your head?"
7. "You just have to stop thinking about yourself"
8. "Everyone feels like you sometimes"
9. "You just need some exercise and good food"
10. "You are making a big deal out of nothing"

How to deal with your family and friends

Believe it or not, your family and friends love you and they are only trying to help. They just don't know how, because they don't really know how you feel. Often they worry about you and they too are afraid – afraid that something is really wrong with you and they can't help – so they try to convince you (and especially themselves) that this is just a phase and it's nothing serious.

1. Step out and reveal yourself – You will feel vulnerable and afraid – but it has to be done. Share your personal and everyday experience with anxiety honestly and openly. You will find out who your true friends are because they will stick around and now will understand you much better.

2. Communication – Don't expect your family and friends to read your mind. They can't. Dropping hints is also not enough. Take a book from the library or a couple of articles about anxiety from the internet and get your mother and friends to read it. Explain to them that the pressure they are putting you under is not helping you coping with anxiety. It's making it worse. Remind them that you can't just "snap out of it" and that it's worse for you then it is for them. Ask them to have patience, flexible and acknowledge small improvements they see from you.