Why Having An Anxiety Disorder Does Not Mean You’re Crazy
One of the most common symptoms of anxiety disorder is the belief that you’re going crazy.
You have the sense that you are losing your grip on reality and that you are literally on the verge of a mental breakdown. Anxiety disorder can cause a deep seeded fear that sooner or later you’re simply going to go mad.
However, despite this overwhelming fear of possible insanity, the fact that you fear it, and are aware of insanity as a state of being, is precisely why you’re not crazy.
Crazy means a lot things to a lot of people, however, for the sake of clarity let’s say that for our purposes crazy means a mixture of insanity and psychosis . Let’s look at insanity first and how it is normally defined. In the United States, insanity is no longer a medical term and, in fact, is mainly used in legal definitions.
You have heard people say that someone is “legally insane” generally meaning that they cannot comprehend the meaning of “right” and “wrong”. They simply don’t understand what it means to do something horrible, like killing another human being, for example.
Under this definition of crazy or insane would you qualify as such a person? If you have an anxiety disorder the answer is no. You have your mental faculties in order, and you know exactly what right and wrong mean. You know the social norms of society and you follow them.
In other words, you don’t walk around with your underwear on your head because you know that society views this as unacceptable behavior. The second and highest level of so called crazy is a mental state of delusion and abstraction known as psychosis.
Insanity is associated with conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. These conditions fall under the psychotic types of mental illness. These conditions are debilitating brain disorders that can seriously hinder ones life.
When someone is psychotic they may hear voices or have hallucinations. In addition they might have a serious paranoia and a feeling that everyone is out to get them.
When someone is deemed psychotic they exhibit disorganized thinking and strange behaviors of various kind. Their very perception of reality is not what you would call “normal.”
It is seriously distorted and disconnected from normal definitions of reality. Moreover one of the most critical aspects of psychosis that does not affect anxiety sufferers is a lack of insight.
Having a lack of insight is just another way of saying that you don’t know that you are behaving or acting strangely. As an anxiety sufferer you spend a lot of time thinking you’re crazy or on the verge of crazy but if this were true than you wouldn’t know it. You simply would not be aware of the fact that your thoughts and behavior were strange or “crazy.”
When you have anxiety you are certainly filled with dread and worry. You experience psychosomatic sensations that make you feel terrible and make you think that you might die soon. It’s pretty scary sometimes.
But the bottom line is that your level of mental fitness is not the same as someone that is psychotic or crazy – it’s much better.
You have the ability to make sound decisions, you don’t hear or see things that aren’t there, and you know the difference between real and unreal. Even if you experience feelings of unreality, or dream like states, you are still aware of them as such.
Unfortunately if you were to ask someone tagged as crazy if they were actually crazy, they would probably say something like “crazy, who me?” They just wouldn’t know that they were in mental distress the same way that you would be able to know.
As you can see you just don’t fit the profile of an insane or psychotic person. So the conclusion must be that you are not crazy. When you have anxiety disorder will you have tricks of vision? Yes. Will you have strange sensations and worry all the time?
Yes. But despite this your condition is a completely different tier of mental ailment. You have an anxiety disorder and you will not graduate to a greater and more terrible mental state.
You’re an excessive worrier racked with tremendous amounts of stress, but you are not crazy by any stretch of the imagination.
Related posts:
79 Responses to “Why Having An Anxiety Disorder Does Not Mean You’re Crazy”
Comments
Read below or add a comment...
Leave A Comment...
-
The AG Wall
Latest on Fri, 12:13 pm: I listen to your podcasts over and over, and each time I come away with a different bit of info that pertains to how I [...]
: Thanks for all of your hard work and research!
: I do not know how much to thank you for all your dedication and caring thoughts you give us in this tremendous battle of beating [...]
Learn How to Stop Chest Pain and Palpitations with my free ebook. Get your FREE copy of my ebook by signing up.
No problem, Jared. I wish I had the same help when I was first dealing with it. Most likely the reason your feeling like this during the winter months is because during the winter months the sun is less exposed then in the summer. Vitamin D (which we get from the sun) deficiency is but one cause of depression. We get Vitamin D exposure of bright light to the retina of the eye and some from the endorphin effect of UVB on the skin. It’s good that you don’t like being alone during those difficult times because being alone allow you to sink yourself deeper in your depression and negative thoughts. What you need to do is wing yourself from the fear of being alone because in reality you can’t always be with someone. Just keep telling yourself that your okay, that there are lots of people that are alone and they are just fine, that your strong enough to deal with being alone because your independent and able to, that nothing bad will happen. Just keep reassuring yourself that everything is okay and take deep breaths. Maybe read a book or watch something positive on television. Hang in there, Jared. You are not alone! Remeber that you are normal, all of this your saying, I also went through and I’m okay now.
Thank y’all so much. And one more thing to get off my chest when I’m in that state of panic I feel like I can’t eat. I have no appitite and I also get kinda light headed. Is that normal ? And sometimes I wake up in a panic and am sweating but that is only when I’m stressing out all day over it. I’m sorry I’m asking so many questions it’s just making me feel so much better
Don’t be sillt jared,this is why were all here to understand each other. I feel like you I don’t want to be alone,I also fear I have GAD but after time I knew I hadn’t because I only think about forgetting anxiety and don’t think about multiple things.its almost impossible to forget thinking aboout anxiety but try keep your mind occupied and keep positive thoughts in your head.this always helps me..think this. Anxiety is only a worry that’s all its not a diesease its not cancer etc its all in ure head and can be fixed.but it may take time it can’t go away in an instant.I’m still in process of trying to forget anxiety even thou I don’t have any symptoms anymore has anyone any ideas how to get rid of thoughts of it ?? I’ve had it for 6 weeks now and like jarad I had cases of it when younger. Xx
Is it normal to wake up in a state of panic and kinda not know where you are for a couple seconds this is another reason why I feel like in going crazy?
Hey guys, okay so i have a few questions i’ve never written on any boards or anything before this is my first time , please bear with me. Okay so lately i’ve been totally freaked out because i feel as if I’m becoming psychotic and my biggest fear is that I’m becoming schizophrenic or something, that really bothers me it makes me want to puke and my stomach starts going nuts and everything, the reason i feel this way is because i’ve been in the weirdest mental state for about 4 or 5 months now, because i have what i believe to be called Relationship ocd, one day out of no where i began to think i didn’t love my boyfriend which basically brought me into like a huge depression for a while , i would stress about it, cry about it, because it bothered me feeling as if i didn’t love him, and then i just became numb, so numb that sometimes, most of the time till this day i barely feel as if i can feel feelings of “love” , and i’ve fallen into some sort of mental state where i really don’t feel like my old self in anyway, i feel as if I’m another person, and the fact that i feel that way, scares me and makes me think that I’m like schizo or something, i panic about almost everything that seems strange to me or when random weird thoughts/images come into my mind, i get sooooo scared, and i just feel like I’m going to start hallucinating and all of that stuff, i freaked out today because of after images, when i close my eyes i felt as if i could see what i had previously been looking at, I’m just totally scared, and i sort of feel like i need reassurance that i am not going to become schizo and also I’m a 20 year old female , and i’ve read that this is when the disorder develops so I’m terrified that I’m at like the beginning stage of it. .please i need some help i feel like I’m totally killing myself with worrying so much, and if feeling emotionally numb for a period of time normal? does that mean that I’m losing the ability to feel emotionssss ? whats wrong with me??????
Tiffany. My opinion would be your obsessing over the thought that you don’t love your boyfriend anymore but I reality you want to. See right there shows you that it is all in your head. If you didn’t want to love him you wouldn’t. I think that the fact that it scares you so much to believe that you don’t love him anymore that your scathing yourself into feeling that way. Just calm down live life and the love will start to come back and if it doesn’t it doesn’t. You can’t help how you feel but trust me everything will be fine just quit stressing about it. It’s only gonna make things worse And for the alittle part if only you knew what I’ve been going through I have been freaking myself out searching symptoms online or about 24 hours a day almost to fin out why I feel so depressed like I look at my family and just think nothing matters anymore. But after I calm down I’m like why the hell did I think like that. What helps me is. If you think you are crazy your most likely not. Cause crazy people don’t know there crazy and they deny the fact that they are. I’m 19 years old and read the same thing online about where it starts in your 20s and everything and I almost wanted to jump up and run into a wall I was freakin my self out so bad. I have self diagnosed myself with everything in the book like multiple personality disorder to skitzso to bipolar to OCD. But it all comes down to we are over thinkers. I’m an actor and I’m always thinking I’m always wanting to be out doing something and being around people and if I’m not I sit and think about the negative things in life and sink deeper down into my depression, you have to tell yourself that your ok. And stop worrying. It’s gonna take time but in 5 years from now your gonna look back and be like omg I was so stupid Just go with the flow and relax I hoped this helped you
yea, i understand what your saying, it just really scares me, and like even you saying and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t , like scares me, because i want to feel those feelings more than anything,&& sometimes i do when i feel bit better and I’m like duh i totally love him, and then other times I’m just freaking out about it. . i i guess its just the anxiety and depression that makes me feel emotionless at times, but you definitely helped. . i just hate the thought of going crazy or as if I’m in the midst of becoming psychotic omg, its by far the worst thought everrrr! and i know your mind is very powerful and can make you feel what your thinking. but jeeze!
See though by saying you want to means you do. Just calm down go running swimming or something. What helps me is going out with friends and like going on adventures like lately we’ve been going to these haunted cemeterys and doing some crazy weird stuff haha just go out and see what life has to offer. If you have to jump in your car and drive and blare some good country music or whatever you prefer and sing to the top of your lungs and scream every bad thought that’s on your mind. Sounds kinda stupid but I promise it works ha
This is the best blog i have ever read..seriously. I’m going to put this on my favorites to read everytime i start to think this way. It’s such an amazing feeling to know you are not alone, even though you feel so alone. It’s crazy what the mind can do to you, and once you are aware that it is all in your mind you become even more afraid when you should feel comforted. I’ve had anxiety really bad over the past 6 months, i always thought it was a physical reason for it but now i know it’s just mental. Sad huh. I really hope one day this will all go away and i can live my life like i used to…it would be such a blessing. Thank you for this.
Hey after reading some of your comments i actually have the confidence to write something ! I thought i was going crazy like really crazy, If i get ringing in my ears or any thing i think oh no im going into crazy mode ! I use to smoke cannibas but it wasnt regular just a few months, as all my friends had finished school and we thought we would do it over summer, so one night i had a bad experience which i think was a panic attack and ever since i dwell over the fact that i could go into panic at anytime i stopped smoking the crap instantly and i think all the time now! It really freaks me out, as when i had the panic attack i though it was going to last forever and i thought i wouldnt be able to cope with it, thankfully it didnt but ive been left as an over thinker and its destroying me! I use to be a “Jack the lad” or that really loud immature friend that everyone has i feel that ive lost him i really dont feel the same! But when im at work or going out with friends im completely unaware of thinking, so i do know that its simply when i dwell over thinking, one thing that does freak me out is Am i going to have this forever! One tip to other people with anxiety dont self diagnose yourself especially on the internet i almost had my self convienced that i had a change in personality, but when im with my friends im the same guy! im 18 had this for about 3 or so months chin up people
Andy, I had the same exact thing happen to me but it was with a drug called spice. I smoked it one time, had an awful panic attack and have had anxiety over the thing since. (5 months) i feel like I am losing my mind. Like I am a different person, going crazy, my vision is blurred, i get headaches, dizzy, all this crap! Deep down I know it is all in my head but I cant stop thinking about it. I wake up feeling sick and just dont even want to deal with the feelings of depression and regret. Also, having the “dreamy” feeling a lot. Any advice anyone?
Zach & Andy I get the same feelings I somoked cannabis that I didint know was laced with inbalming fluid I had the first panic attack of my life that lasted 2 days without letting up & a complete break down & couldn’t leave the house for almost 4 months. This was about 6 years ago I’ve seen about 8 diffrent doctors, did a week stay in a mental hospital & had tons of blood taken & tests done everything came back “normal” & I still struggle with unreal feelings, crazy irrational thoughts, odd vision/hearing changes & unreal fear that the panic wouldnt ever go away & I’ll be stuck in my anxiety parallel universe. I’ve tryed tons of diffrent “anxiety” medicines & nothing worked. I take the “rescue remedy” just 4 drops in a water bottle a few times a day & I almost feel like my old care free self again. I also limited my caffeine intake & go to the gym an hour or 2 everyday it’s almost like now I have anxiety because I don’t have anxiety but I read that’s only because I’ve forgotten how to relax & enjoy being calm its so foreign to me but I’m getting better every day I hope this helps you guys.
ok question… dont really know where to start, but i have vision changes and anxiety is on my mind almost all day… i feel like i have a HORRIBLE memory and cant remember my day. i feel like foods trigger my anxiety and i stay away from them… is that normal? should i eat them and not let my anxiety controll me? when i relize that i havent been thinking about my anxiety it makes my heart to start to race and brings my anxiety out is that normal? shoud i feel happy that i wasnt thinking about it?
James,
I’m a 27 year old male who’s been dealing with an anxiety disorder for a little over a year now. And, in this past year I have encountered every single trait/experience that you mentioned. The problem with having an anxiety disorder is the fact that it builds off itself; you think about anxiety because you have anxiety, and you have anxiety because you think about anxiety, it’s an unbroken loop that is very difficult to get the mind out of. Like you, I noticed that eating triggers my anxiety, I’ve never quite understood why but I want you to know that you’re not alone there. Obviously, you shouldn’t stay away from eating, perhaps just make sure you’re eating in an environment that your comfortable in, such as your home, as opposed to a chaotic, busy restaurant. And, like you, my mind was very foggy, and my memory was garbage. From what I’ve experienced, heard, and read these traits are not uncommon. To everyone else, what brought me onto this blog today is that I had one of my worst episodes to date earlier today(I’m pretty sure the winter months causes my anxiety to pique), and came looking for answers and comfort. Just reading the article and everyone’s posts I have found a little of both. I have an appointment to see my doctor in a few days, and think it’s finally time to attempt medication. I’d just like to thank everyone for their positive messages, just knowing that their are others out there going through the same thing I’m going through makes the battle a little more bearable.
Okay so I didn’t think that I had an anxiety problem, and kind of refused to believe it for awhile. I’ve always been anxious about things, my entire life, but never thought It’d develop into a disorder… I’m a 19, almost 20 year old girl.
For about half a year now, a lot of strange things have been going on with my health and I didn’t know what was causing it, the doctors ran every test available and didn’t find anything, and I’ve been going to doctors ever since March and getting no answers… I think that since I didn’t know what was wrong and the symptoms were so weird, I convinced myself that I was going to die. And started trying to accept death, thinking about people that I know who’ve died, etc. And I thought I was fine for awhile, but now I think there’s a problem.
Over Christmas, I was really sad, I didn’t want anything materialistic. I felt guilty and had the mindset “I’m gonna die anyway, why are you giving me these things, there are things more important than materials.” And I was EXTREMELY tired, and had pressure in my head, so I related it to sinus problems. Then I looked up sinus problems on the internet and read somewhere that you can die from a sinus infection and started freaking out and crying both because I was scared and that I didn’t know what was wrong with me and couldn’t CONTROL it. I was frustrated.
And ever since then, I’ve been freaking out over nothing. Getting really scared, just wondering… “what is life?” I don’t even know what I’m doing anymore. I’m so confused, I feel detatched from reality… do I have an anxiety disorder?
I’m on lexapro right now, I started a few days ago… I’m hoping it’ll help me…
Oh My God The best Thing I Done Was Go On To This Site I Feel Like Im Actually Gettin Sumwer
An Tiff Just To Let U No Im With My Partner A While Now Tought Maby Its Becoz Im Dont Love Him Maby Its Because Im Only Nineteen To Young For This Shit… But Yet I Really Love Him An Hes Always Hear … Sometimes I Get The Feeling Where Mabye It Is But Other Times Glad To Have Him An Cudnt Live Witout Him Its All To Do Wit Panic An Worrie .. I Know Its Bad People But When I Feel Down I Always Sey Think Of Them Poor Little Sweet Hearts That Are Battleing Cancer Or Lost Their Parents Or Maby Even Hours To Live I Know Its A Pain In The*** Butt… We Really Do Have It Easy We Just Have To Learn To Control Them Horrible Toughts….Its Not Easy But Never Be Alone Go Out To Mate
Peace Love Yas All … Oh By The Way Im 19 From Dublin An Am Normal 
Hehehe <3 xxxxxx
Jared That Comment Was Amazing Made Me Think What Am Atually Doing… Excuse My Spellin Im Really Bad … But Anyhow… Wooow Like As U Sed Thinking Ur Going Crazy Is Really Perfectly Normal … People Who Is Actually Crazy An Suffers From An Ofal Lot Denoy That They Are Crazy ….. I Feel Like I Had Every Symtom U Had An Im So Delighted To See Sum1 With The Exact Same Feeling .. Because Everyone Is Induval… Everyone Smile Turn That Sad Face Upside Down ..
LAUGH HAVE FUN, DO THINGS THAT MAKE YOU HAPPY ..Talk To A Friend,partner mum dad Anybody Just Just reach Out Grab It An Sey Fuck Of An Leave Me Alone .. Excuse My Lanuage Peeps But Im Sure Sumtimes Thats All You Wana Scream … I Have It All An So Does Millions Of Others Where Not Alone… Yap Yap Yap Ellen Relax Haha Got To Go Folks Head Up Smile Laugh
Have had anxiety all my life and in the last couple months it has become almost unmanageable. Yesterday I went to the hospital, everything was normal. Today I was working out and had a brief short pain that was later determined to be just muscle or nerve symptom and called an
Ambulance. I was at my school gym, the emt’s arrived took my
Vitals gave me an EKG again nothing. Im so wound up and embarrassed. The only time I feel peace is when Im asleep. I have a doctors appt to get more tests done to rule out any physical abnormalities and discuss a long term medication most likely SSRI. And of course Im
Worried:( I hate feeling like this it’s awful. I would wish panic and anxiety on my worst enemy. Truly.
Hi Everyone,
I am a 20 year old female in university. I have been suffering from anxiety for almost a year now, and my fear is slowly leading me to think I am becoming schizophrenic. I read about it one day, and immediately since then think I have it. It is to the point where I am afraid to even think in my head because I’m afraid any voice in my head is being schizophrenic.
I have also developed static/snowy vision, which doctors cannot find a cause for. And I always think that this is a hallucination.. I feel like I am going crazy.
Please Help!!!
hgjg
Hey guys so i have been reading everyons comments and they are really helping me,see im a 28 year old girl i had my first panic attack 7 years ago at my grandmothers funeral,after 5 months of suffering i decided to go on medication,so the doctor put me on 10mg,well 2 weeks ago a smoked some weed and it came back all these years later,i was going through hell for the past 2 weeks so they put me on 30mg of paxil and im getting better but i am still having weird thoughts,like if i eat something im gonna have a allergic reaction to eat,if i go out with a bunch of friends and will have an attack,terrified that my parents are gonna pass on and these thoughts are consumming me can anyone relate to these feelings
This site has been so much help through
My recent battle with anxiety. One thing that I still have trouble dealing with is nightmares. I have them almost every night and I wake up in a panicked state which becomes very disheartening as a 17 year old waking up for school everyday already experiencing anxiety. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help stop these nightmares. I’ve been practicing breathing exercises which seem to help me relax before
Sleep but the nightmares still happen 90% of nights.
This website and everyone else has definitely helped me put things into perspective. Mental disorders like depression and anxiety run in my family, especially in the women on my mom’s side. I have always had symptoms of depression but I always denied it because I was scared. Last summer I was getting ready to become a freshman in college and be about four and a half hours away. I was very paranoid, anxious, nervous, but I thought it was normal since I am very big on my family and have never been gone from home by myself in this big world. Of course I was homesick and I did decide to take 18 credit hours but again, didn’t think nothing of it. In classes I started to feel nauseous, stressed, anxious, like I was going to pass out. I would feel my heart racing all the time. I went to the school doctor and he said I had anxiety and that I should talk to a counselor but I never did, I thought he was crazy! I continued having these experiences and thought I was gonna die or something. One night, I decided I smoke what I thought was marijuana with my friends. I’ve smoked it once before and I have also smoked K2 before once and I was completely fine, just like you’re supposed to feel. Well this was K2 but a different version. I went to my friends form and ate Oreos on his floor. I felt happy, a little tweaked out but other than that all good! That’s when I got to my room, my heart was beating like no other. I ended up falling asleep hoping it would stop like it would before but when I woke up the next morning, it was still beating faster than ever. I tried taking a shower and eating to calm myself down but that didn’t help. I seriously thought I was dying so my roommate called 912 and I went to the ER. They said I was PERFECTLY healthy for an 18 year old girl, they said everything came back awesome and my heart was fine and everything else was just great. The doctor told me it was anxiety and prescribed me Xanax. I can only take it though when I have bad attacks, but not everyday because Xanax puts my body to sleep to the point where I can sleep up to 20 hours a day and being in college, that’s not good! I always felt a pain in my heart and sometimes I would think I’d feel it skip a best and that would lead to my anxiety going up. I have been able to control my physical symptoms more and more than what I’ve done before but I ALWAYS feel like talking to myself in my head and it’s ALWAYS on the right side of my head, too. It’s weird. I have family who work in the medical field and tell me I’m fine but I have a constant fear of dying. It makes me so sick and so scared. Everyone tells me I’m alright but what if the hospital missed something? What if they’re lying to me and I’m really dying.? It’s a constant process going on in my head and it makes me so pissed because I used to be happy and carefree and now I can’t go a day without thinking I’m gonna die. It’s a horrible feeling.
Hey again I have been having a productive life so far. But last night was the worst I have ever had it. I was driving down the road then I got this surge over my body then I thought about life and how we’re all just gonna die anyway then I was like what if I committed suicide and I got really scared just by thinking that. And then like 5 minutes later I was perfectly fine I just wanted to make sure in not going crazy an it was just anxiety I would never in a million years do that but I think just the thought of doing it scared the hell out of me. And how do you get it off your mind? I feel like if I wasn’t thinking about it. I would be fine when I’m out with my friends and have fun plans I’m fine but when I’m by myself I’m like omg here it comes that feeling again and my stomach drops and it’s horrible. I always ask why me I just need someone to comfort me and I will snap out of it. Thanks guys
Hi Ana,let me tell you that a huge part of anxiety is negitive and fearful thoughts,if we didnt have those we wouldnt have anxiety issues,i totaly understand what you are talking about,i was on paxil or 7 years at 10mg it was god sent then just 3 weeks ago stop working so the doc put me up to 30mg,im starting to feel better but im still having them im hoping they will work as good as they did the past 7 years,im not teeling you to go on meds thats a personal decision but it was the most amazing thing for me,50 percent of my friends are on some kind of antianxiety it is very common and you are not alone.just last weekend i had to miss my best friends 30th birthday from this shit,well another friend is turning 30 this sat and im gonna say screw you to my attacks and im going to have some drinks and fun like i always have,you should to hun,i know easier said then done mabey you should go talk to your family doc,let me know how things go
Hi!
Yep, I get similar feelings as everyone. But doesn’t it make you wonder – what is the cause of it??? Why do we have similar thoughts when we have anxiety? Why is that? Surely if we could deal with the main cause (what ever that is) we could get rid of it.
I’m a lot better now, but I still have to think about it and I know deep down its probably not solved because I have to think about it.
My psychologist suggested to go on meds, but as meditation helps me, I really don’t want to go on any. Do all of you take meds or try to deal with it in different ways? Sometimes I get angry with myself for having the anxious thoughts, but I cant help it. Thanks for your answers
I have been feeling massive stress and anxiety lately. Hadn’t had an anxiety attack in awhile, but lately I have this huge ball of stress in my stomach and can’t get rid of it and finally last night I had an anxiety attack in front of my boyfriend and I just started crying. I felt like my mind was about to snap and I was trying to hold onto reality.
I was thinking of getting some St. John’s Wort…has anyone tried it? I really don’t want to go on meds or anything unnatural…but I need something because I feel I am ruining my relationship by being so emotional.
Everyone seems to say to just stop overthinking things…but it’s nearly impossible to do it seems. I feel like the things I am going through and have gone through would be stressful to most, but it all just seems to build up and become unbearable almost.
I was also thinking of maybe trying hot yoga but it is just so expensive. I really hope St. John’s wort helps…but it’s crazy I even stress about that and get anxiety over possible side effects. lol
See though by saying you want to means you do. Just calm down go running swimming or something. What helps me is going out with friends and like going on adventures like lately we’ve been going to these haunted cemeterys and doing some crazy weird stuff haha just go out and see what life has to offer. If you have to jump in your car and drive and blare some good country music or whatever you prefer and sing to the top of your lungs and scream every bad thought that’s on your mind. Sounds kinda stupid but I promise it works ha