#anxiety valid

[girltalkcollectives]

The Fear of Being Called On

Let me paint you a picture of what social anxiety really looks like, because apparently some professors still don’t get it.

There I was, second day of class, sitting in my usual spot (back row, closest to the door — my fellow anxiety girlies know exactly why). The homework was done. Actually, it was more than done. I’d spent three hours the night before making sure I understood every single detail, highlighting important points, writing notes in the margins. Because that’s what we do, right? We over-prepare just to feel slightly less terrified.

But then it happened.

“Why don’t you explain this concept to the class?”

My name, hanging in the air like a death sentence. Twenty heads turning to look at me. The familiar wave of panic washing over me — heart racing, palms sweating, throat closing up. You know that feeling when your mind goes completely blank? Like someone just wiped your brain clean? Yeah. That.

And suddenly I’m rambling. The words are coming out all wrong. Everything I studied, everything I KNEW, turned into this jumbled mess of half-formed thoughts. I can hear myself talking, but it’s like I’m outside my body, watching this trainwreck happen in slow motion.

But the worst part? The absolute worst part wasn’t even the public humiliation. It was what happened after class.

Picture this: The professor pulls me aside, looks at me with that condescending smile (you know the one), and says, “If you don’t get it together, you’re getting a 0. You need to do the work.”

Let that sink in.

I did the work.

I ALWAYS do the work.

The work isn’t the problem.

MY ANXIETY IS THE PROBLEM.

I tried to explain. God, I tried. “I have social anxiety and so I have problems with public speaking,” I said, my voice shaking. “It’s hard for me to articulate my thoughts when I’m put on the spot.” Basic anxiety 101, right?

Her response? “It doesn’t seem like you did the work.”

EXCUSE ME?

Do you want to see my highlighted textbook? My color-coded notes? The three hours of work I did last night? The sleep I lost preparing for a class I was terrified to attend?

But here’s what I couldn’t say in the moment, what I wish I had screamed: Having social anxiety doesn’t mean I’m lazy. It doesn’t mean I’m unprepared. It means my brain literally fights against me every time I have to speak in public. It means I can know something inside and out but completely freeze when all eyes are on me.

So yeah, I dropped the class.

And before anyone comes at me with “you’re letting anxiety win” or “you need to push through it” — save it. Sometimes protecting your mental health means walking away. Sometimes self-care looks like saying “this environment is toxic for me” and choosing a different path.

To my girls out there dealing with social anxiety: I see you. I see you doing twice the work just to feel half as prepared. I see you picking seats based on escape routes. I see you having full conversations in your head that turn into gibberish the moment you have to speak them out loud.

You’re not lazy.

You’re not stupid.

You’re not unprepared.

You’re dealing with an anxiety disorder that people still refuse to understand.

And to that professor: I hope you read this. I hope you realize that somewhere in your classroom right now is another girl like me, doing all the work but drowning in fear. Maybe next time, instead of assuming she’s unprepared, consider that she might be fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Because let me make one thing crystal clear: My anxiety might make me stumble over my words, but it doesn’t make me any less capable, any less intelligent, or any less worthy of respect.

I dropped your class, but I’m not dropping my voice. This is me, speaking up about social anxiety, without stuttering, without fear — because writing lets me say what my anxiety won’t let me.

And to everyone reading this who gets it, who lives it, who feels it: You’re not alone. Your anxiety is real. Your struggles are valid. And don’t let anyone — especially not some teacher who doesn’t understand mental health — make you feel otherwise. 

This is bigger than one bad class experience. This is about a system that still doesn’t understand what anxiety does to us. And I’m done being quiet about it.

[aimasup]

silly scribbles

he had to think a while on that one

[hyakunana]

"Were you even listening? How many reports, Ikora? How many times did I tell you what I saw?"

[turns-out-its-adhd]

NEURODIVERSE-SQUAD, ASSEMBLE!

[creativity-deficient]

South Park fans! How many things do you have in common with your favorite character(s)? I’m curious!!

[solpadeinedelusions]

i am so back

[akindplace]

telling my anxious brain that when i face my fears it’s usually a lot less worse than i imagined, and it tells me “sounds fake, bestie, let’s not do it”. and I’m not even mad at it because i know my brain only wants to protect me by avoiding things that might be dangerous, but it’s still frustrating. facing whatever makes me anxious is something i’m proud of and it does get a little easier with time to do stuff even tho i’m scared, but i’m still scared and it’s tiring. so if you did something today even tho you were anxious i just wanna say i’m proud of you even if it was something “small” because anxiety distorts simple stuff into really threatening things and i hope you can get some rest and give yourself a little treat in recognition of your efforts even if other people don’t know what you go through internally to get things done

[dollypopup]

hm. idk, maybe the reason Luke Newton isn't announcing new projects or posting any Bridgerton content is because some of you demons treated him like hot trash instead of a creative that you wanted more work from and he decided fuck it, this isn't worth the stress. you know, like a lot of creatives who get mistreated do?

like this is a man who went from couch surfing in a friend's house and bartending to make ends meet, deciding that the Bridgerton audition was the last one he'd do before he quit, to suddenly being recognized on the street because that last audition propelled him to star in a global show where fans who have zero media comprehension blamed him for his character's actions and literally stalked him at any hotel he happens to stay at. he went from being a dude doing musical theatre and shopping at thrift stores and recording random songs with friends and posting silly memes on Twitter to being harassed on his only social media page and his friends insulted and his partners bullied by his supposed 'fans' and anything he posts being so microanalyzed that he can't do a damn thing without someone coming out the woodwork screaming about how he's the WORST and won't he think of the FANS!?

like damn he can't have a girlfriend without being harassed, he can't travel without being harassed, he can't like or not like social media posts without being harassed, he can't post a fucking MEME without being harassed, he can't take a vacation or cut his hair or hold someone's hand or just live his life without being blamed for some bullshit or another. but yeah, okay, 'when will Luke Newton come back?' as if it isn't your fault he's AWOL now

[sggk]

The thing that gets me about the argument of “What am i supposed to do if my anxiety/depression makes doing [x] thing impossible” is that truly not to sound unsympathetic or cruel but the whole point about that is that you have to make yourself. Like the answer they want to hear in that moment is “That’s ok and you don’t have to do it at all because of your condition and it’s ok to just wallow in the anxiety or depression and not force yourself to do hard things” and like i’m sorry but the actual answer is that you just have to do it

[ibringthepoptothecinema]

I wish I had someone to text every time Dan and Phil do something.

Like it drives me insane not having anyone to freak out with

[crybaby-bkg]

have u ever considered gojo trying to tease you about how into it you get whenever you suck him off, but how flustered he gets when you admit yeah, I like it more than I thought i would, mainly because it’s you, because you’re so pretty to look up at, you always treats me so well when I’m on my knees for you. now you’ve killed him, especially with the way you’ve been touching yourself all the while running your tongue up at that one vein on his shaft. dead. gone and buried.

[maypersonne]

Shang Qinghua really does think that he is unlovable huh

He really thinks that he is of no value to anyone if he isn't making himself useful he will be disposed off and that will be it

He genuinely believes no would ever want him so he manipulate and posture as a lesser so to be seen as a necessary annoyance rather than the pest he believes himself to be

He hates all the work he has to do but he prefers exhaustion to the paranoia and anxiety that eat him up when he isn't showcasing his value

He is in a constant battle just to be acceptable rather than loved so he can just be in the presence of those who are dear to him

Like damn like father like son I can see where binghe got all his issues like airplane bro stop unloading it all on your OCs look you gave the poor dear anxiety

[thepeacefulgarden]

[tending-the-hearth]

thinking about echo reuniting with the bad batch on pabu after getting a frantic message from hunter that just says "she's home"

and he throws himself and rex into their ship and gets to pabu as fast as he can, flying on instinct and completely in shock the entire way there. and part of him is terrified, terrified that hunter saying she's home but she's... gone.

then they land on pabu, and echo looks out and can see hunter and wrecker, both with less tension in their shoulders, and at hunter's side, looking positively radiant, tears covering her cheeks, is omega, safe, healthy, alive.

and next to wrecker is crosshair, looking slightly worse for wear, but with that same cocky look on his face, the slight smirk, and the stupid toothpick in his mouth.

rex is already telling echo to leave, and echo just runs off the ship, and omega meets him in the middle, and he scoops her up and holds her as tightly as he possibly can. and he opens his eyes and looks over her shoulder, and holds out an arm to crosshair, who's hesitant for all of five seconds before joining the hug, and echo just hugs his two siblings as close to his chest as he can, relishing in the fact that it isn't a dream, that they're actually back home.

because it's the first time in echo's life that he's been separated from his siblings, his batch, and they've returned to him alive.

[magpiesbones]

Hey you know what’s actually just like. SO fucked up?

BECAUSE ALL PUBLIC MAGIC IS DONE DISCREETLY— AND THAT IT IS CANON THAT WITCHES ARE TRAINED TO DRAW WITHOUT LOOKING AT THEIR HANDS— GOING BLIND WOULD NOT MAKE SOMEONE UNABLE TO CAST.

All it would do is make you unable to cast unfamiliar spells or analyze spells you didn’t draw, which while Pretty Big still:

if qifrey got a white cane he would be able to essentially continue functioning like a sighted witch but witch society is SO goddamn ableist not only would this Never occur to him but he would get Judged about it.

[solpadeinedelusions]

I GOT INTO AN ENGINEERING PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS OMG I'M OFFICIALLY A WOMAN IN STEM‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

(translation: hello! I am pleased to inform you that you have qualified..)

the next line obviously reveals the program which i would like to keep private as it is rather personal information