My best friend Alexa has an anxiety disorder. Always panicking, sweating, worrying, and never staying calm when need be. I found out she had an anxiety disorder a couple years ago when we were just hanging out at my house. Her mom was over as well and had to leave my house early. I looked at Alexa and she was nervous about her mom leaving her alone at MY house. Her best friend! She started to beg her mom not to leave, making excuses as to why she needs to stay, and stalling. I was so confused. Was she mad at me? I had no idea. She eventually left with her mom. This was the start of her anxiety disorder.
I asked my mom why she had left, and my mom had no inkling either. It was so unusual. Throughout the years I noticed that she would slowly never want to sleep over, never wanted to go out alone to the movies or the mall, and would never drive alone. She has a fear of being alone. Anxiety disorders are so common in America and its sad that my best friend suffers from one. She always needs to have an escape route of some sort, just in case she needs to leave where she is. For example, when she came to visit me here at Penn State, she would not stay in my dorm. She wanted to stay in a hotel room, where she can leave whenever she wanted, and didn’t have a fear of being trapped. It’s interesting how I have learned to deal with her anxiety disorders. I always need to make sure she feels safe and never has a reason to leave. Whenever she starts to fidget with her fingers I know she is nervous. I have found small quarks and motions she does when she is having an anxiety attack. Over the years, and with maturity, she has gotten much better. She even goes to college on her own now and is able to deal with her anxiety safely. Anxiety disorders are very difficult and it is hard to watch someone you love have one.