Deep in my brain is a disease. One that can only be seen through emotions, life choices, words, or a brain scan. The symptoms of this disease are physical pain, emotional turmoil, and psychological wounds that may never heal, even if the disease is healed. This disease has brought pain to me in forms of, parents calling me lazy, friends disappointing me, and siblings who force me to put myself through mental hell. This disease has a name, that many people throw around willy-nilly, Anxiety. Anxiety is a common emotion that people have throughout their lives, but the ones who have the constant thrum of it in their body, in their bones, know that anxiety is a lot more than it seems. With anxiety, you have anxiety attacks, panic attacks, stomach pain, trouble breathing, and so much more. The worst part of anxiety isn't the symptoms, it's society. Society has a misconstrued opinion of anxiety. They no longer see it as a serious mental illness, they see it as an emotion you have to get over. I have had friends and family alike say to me that anxiety is a part of life and that I'm using it as an excuse. They have belittled my pain and disorder and made it out to be nothing. They make me feel weak and confused. But I want to tell others that having anxiety is like having a sprained ankle but no crutch to lean against. All throughout life, you will be baffled by people's ability to do things with confidence and no underlying apprehension, you will be torn down and built back up. The world is tough the way it is, but with anxiety, it's misery. But it doesn't have to be. Life is truly what you make it. If people tell you to get over your mental illness, you scream back for them to get over their ignorance. Fight the ones who put you down and rebel against those who poison society with their ignorance.