Watch: People Draw What It Feels Like To Have Anxiety

Do you find it difficult to explain your anxiety to others? You’re not alone. Much of the time, dealing with such a complex emotion is tough to put solely into words; it isn’t as simple as saying, ‘I feel X or Y.’ You most likely feel X, Y and the rest of the alphabet combined. If you find it this part hard, it also means it could be a challenge for those who wish to help you. It’s so easy to get stuck in a seemingly never-ending cycle of anxiousness as one worried thought can merely induce the next. Luckily, in society today we are becoming more and more open when it comes to discussing anxiety and the detrimental effect it can have on your physical and mental health on a daily basis. But the team over at Buzzfeed have decided to (literally) show us what it can be like to suffer from the condition.

They created a video in which they asked participants to draw how they feel when they are anxious. It will instantly resonate with anyone who has dealt with such feelings, but the results are profoundly sad. The clip reveals all the emotions people feel when they are in the midst of an anxiety attack, from wanting to hide themselves away in bed just to feel ‘safe?, feeling like they are destined to fail to a smiling face that, internally, is brimming with negative thoughts and worries. It’s an open look at what too many are going through. Watch it below and please share it with anyone you feel it might help.

And remember, please don’t suffer in silence. Tell someone, anyone – a professional, friend or family member because you don’t have to go through it alone. Taking that all-important first step is a starting point on the road to recovery.