photo credit: trekkyandy
One of the biggest problems that anxiety sufferers face is the fear of going crazy. This sounds like an over statement but for many people with anxiety losing their mind seems like a real possibility. Some time ago I wrote a post about why anxiety sufferers are not crazy and I thought of one more reason why this is true.
Previously I had basically pointed out two things about anxious people that real crazy people can’t do. The first is crazy people don’t know that they are crazy and they don’t know what it means to be crazy. Second, anxiety sufferers know right from wrong and follow societal rules like everyone else – something crazy people simply have a difficult time pulling off.
Well, the other reason that an anxious person should know that they are not in fact insane is the amount and quality of clarity moments. A moment of clarity in this case means a time when you are not anxious at all and for all intent and purposes feel normal.
I suppose detractors would point out that lots of people, like junkies, alcoholics, and the insane, also have moments of clarity. However, my point is that our moments are very clear and not so great because the anxious tend to teeter on normal more times than they think.
I have moments of clarity all the time and sadly I ignore most of them. I suppose I don’t appreciate them like I should, but more to the point they are a reminder that a) You’re not crazy and b) Anxiety can subside if even just for a few minutes or hours. In others words, there is hope.
In the past I’ve had so called clear moments for weeks at a time. Back to the old me and on the verge of not thinking about anxiety anymore. Obviously this post is evidence that my anxiety came back (real knee slapper) but at least I know those moments will come back again. To the future my friends, if not today or tomorrow one day down the road you will have a moment of clarity so hang in there.
I do not feel like I have moments of clarity with my anxiety.
Hey Kelly, I’m sorry to hear that you don’t have moments like this. That is really terrible considering how hard it is to cope with anxiety.
Although you may not have them now I hope that you will in the future.
Thanks Paul. I know exactly what you are talking about.
There are many great days that I waste precious, easy moments, by thinking when will the anxiety will hit me again? Or how come I am not anxious, what’s wrong? I value all your blogs. You often ask for feedback and I never do so. But, I read and seriously look forward to all you research, self sharing, and the time you dedicate to us. Thanks.
Andrew thanks for the thought. I appreciate the appreciation.
Thanks Paul! I appreciate your kind words.
Ya I’m with Kelly on this one – I don’t really have moments of clarity. I have long slow cycling periods of anxiety and when not that depression. I did though have 2 years of relief from both in the mid-late nineties. It was tremendous and I still think I can have that again.
Just today I thought that I was on the path to going crazy. I had weighed the pros and cons and just about decided. But this post has helped me tremendously. I have had many such moments of clarity and I look forward to having them again in the future. Thanks.
I have found that even if these moments of clarity only last an hour, a day, or a week, that’s it’s best to grab hold of them and run with it…meaning do as much you can in terms of being productive. Whether it means getting out and about, hitting the gym, or hanging with friends.
I’m a little late to this party but hey, if it helps someone, it’s worth it.