. . . as a person who has suffered all her life with anxiety I am a little troubled today by the seemingly casual use of the word. Although I appreciate, given the often stressful and fast-paced world we live in today, that many people feel anxious from time to time, I believe this is vastly different from the realities of those of us living with anxiety disorder.
I wrote this poem "Choosing Life" to acknowledge and celebrate those of us who know what it is like to battle this demon again and again throughout our lives. And in sharing the poem I am hoping that those fortunate enough to not suffer from anxiety disorder might better understand the depths of its' wrath; appreciating that it is always through better understanding that empathy grows.
CHOOSING LIFE
Some people die over and over again
Yet choose to rise up
To live, in-spite of knowing
They will surely, die again
That that demon in their brain will return
When they least expect it
In the quiet of the night
In the sleepy wake of the morning
On that drive home
They have done a thousand times
He will come
Their heart shaking like an earthquake
Their pulse pounding like a drum
Their breath forced
Fighting their lungs for air
Their hands shaking
Their forehead sweating like a rag
Sticking to their only thought
"I am dying, yet again"
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