Hey, I'm Nate and I like bands. Slightly too much actually... I'm a fiction writer and aspiring musician. I'm officially two years clean of self harm as of 25th April 2016. Bands, aesthetic and trans stuff be here.
He/Him/His
What I mean when I say “I can’t do that”- Anxiety Version:
I am unable to do that
I am too stressed out to do that
I cannot face the humiliation of attempting to do that
My body will physically not allow me to do that
I am on the verge of a panic attack
I cannot do that
What people hear:
I am unwilling to do that
I am just shy
I am overreacting
I am lazy
I need to get more experience in social situation to help my anxiety
I need a push
I don’t want to do that
Proper response to someone saying “I can’t do that” because of anxiety:
Can I do it for you?
Would you like my help doing it?
Would you like to go somewhere where you feel can do that?
Is there anything I can do to either alleviate your anxiety or help you do it?
What about it can you not do? (And then, sub-sequentially, would you like help with that part/is there anything I can do to help with that)
these responses are literally SO important when you have anxiety
Sometimes things are really scary and if someone has confided in you that they can’t do something because of their anxiety, you should treat it as best you can
anything that goes along the lines of “I would like to help in any way I can” and away from “You are being a baby” is pretty great.
i’ve never seen this response attached to my post before!!!! thank you so much, this is an excellent addition
lets make a new trope: gay characters who are actually seemingly impossible to kill to the point that all of their enemies are comically frustrated. functionally immortal gay characters. being gay making you immortal. unkillable gay trope.
i hate the trope of kids giving their favorite stuffed animal to a younger child as a sign of compassion and coming of age, as if this is something that should be expected of kids as they grow up
im 22 and i dont care who you are you’ll have to pry my ikea shark out of my cold dead hands