They hide it really well and that’s how you miss it. They’re all around you.They’re your friends, your colleagues, your lovers. They come from all walks of life: male and female, poor and rich, educated and uneducated. But they all have one thing in common: all of them suffer from anxiety, which, usually in shame or ignorance, they conceal from the rest of the world.
They all have their reasons for hiding their disability. They might worry about repercussions at work. They might worry they’ll lose our friendships. They might not want to be the worrier, the one sucking the fun out of everything, by voicing their anxieties aloud.
But whatever their reasons, you can probably tell they’re stressing. Here are some tips fordealing with the secretly anxious among us.
1. They use text messages whenever possible.
Anxious people hate the phone: just the ringing can set their heart fluttering. They really hate voicemaiil, because it’s an unknown quantity lurking in their inbox, promising everything from candy hearts to familial death. So text them. Say exactly what you mean. They can ignore you if they want, and for that, they’re deeply grateful.
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