How does anxiety attack?

How does anxiety attack?

It attacks without warning, constantly catching you by surprise, and you're never prepared -- regardless of how long you've struggled with anxiety.

It attacks silently. You're the only one who can feel it. There are no outward symptoms that your loved ones can see so they know it's happening. You're the only one who can hear it -- the chorus of self-doubt, negative self talk, accusations thrown at yourself; they all go round and round until you feel like you are the worst person on the face of the planet and that no one likes you and that everything you do is a mistake and a mess up, that you are nothing but an annoyance.

It attacks relentlessly. The chorus of every attack feels incessant. You struggle to believe that it will ever end. And when it does finally end, you're exhausted. And just about the time that you build yourself back up, it hits again.

It doesn't just destroy you. It affects relationships of those who you are closest to. It takes a very strong person to be able to be with someone who struggles with anxiety. And a lot of people can't handle it. So relationships fall apart because of the constant anxiety, self-doubt, and paralyzing fear.

Anxiety has you questioning every inch of who you are as a person, whether anyone could possibly like you, wondering if people just tolerate you and if they talk crap about you behind your back like they do others. It has you withdrawing from others, retreating to books and television and the bed.

Exhausting.