What anxiety feels like

I was having an interesting chat yesterday with a chap about anxiety, he was interested in my artwork because he said he struggled to understand anxiety, never having suffered from it. This is something I've been aware of for a long time. I've been guilty of it myself in the past, pre-breakdown. If someone tells you that they have broken their leg, you can empathise and think what it would be like to have a heavy pot on your leg, appreciate how it would make mobility difficult. This level of empathy seems doable with a physical injury, we are able to empathise and put ourselves into their shoes. That same level of empathy seems difficult with the more nebulous and hyper-personal experiences of mental health. But, I'm not sure what I want when I'm unwell is empathy, what I'm looking for is sympathy, someone who can sit with me while I struggle, and accept me when I'm feeling my most unloveable.

#artandanxiety #artanxietyandme #artastherapy #mentalhealthjourney