"It's all in your head, just calm down."

"Stop making stuff up. Nothing bad is going to happen."

"Take a deep breath. Ignore it."

Anxiety. If you have it, you may never control it. If you don't have it, you may never understand it. Both of these are perfectly OK.

I'm sure you have heard it a million times: anxiety is not just an imaginary problem, it's an actual illness. The constant fear of unknown monsters, the nagging pit in one's stomach, the racing heart; all of these feelings are known all too well for the 40 million Americans that suffer from the illness.

Despite the fact that about 18 percent of the U.S. adult population lives with anxiety everyday, there is still a stigma behind the disease itself and those who suffer from it. I don't want this article to be the same broken record, spewing statistics about the disease, informing you (the reader) of the things already learned from health class and the high school counselor.

You probably know the basics; Anxiety not only affects 40 million Americans, but also costs the U.S. around $42 billion each year (roughly one-third of the U.S. mental health bill). Common symptoms include startling easily, having difficulty concentrating, fatigue, headaches, inability to sit still, feeling out of breath, hot flashes, and a variety of other nervous ticks. There are a variety of ways to cope with anxiety, from medication to daily meditation--although it is a disease that can be set off at random and/or by traumatic events.

What you probably didn't know is that there are about eight different mental illnesses that fall under the "anxiety" category. From Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), to Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and even specific phobias and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), all of these illnesses influence daily life for the person that suffers. In fact, a person can even suffer from more than one of these illnesses at a time, especially since anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand.

But let's move on. The stigma behind anxiety—and most mental illnesses—are that the person who suffers from it is broken, damaged, and incapable of handling any sort of experience. "It's all in your head" is a common phrase those with mental illnesses experience more often than not. News flash: saying that doesn't make those who suffer from anxiety feel any better. It makes them feel worse, like they actually might be crazy because there is something wrong with them that they cannot control.

Anxiety is a disease that is as individual as the person who has it. While some people have traits that make it obvious they suffer from anxiety, there are other people that one would never know suffered from the disease.

Take me, for example. I love life. I have a knack for taking risks, talking people's ears off, and I enjoy being surrounded by others. Besides my inability to sit still (my legs, feet, or hands are always tapping something), no one would guess I live with anxiety.

I was diagnosed when I was around 13 years old when my family started seeing a therapist. It was obvious with my fidgeting, but I had always suppressed the things that bothered me. Oftentimes, I was overly emotional about things that held absolutely no relevance to my real life. The only times I would cry openly were watching movies or reading books. Anything that dealt with real emotion would set me off running, panicking about the outcome.

The majority of my friends in high school often didn't understand or didn't care. I was happy and carefree, but in the corners of my mind, there was always a nagging voice telling me something would go wrong. I was always waiting for the ball to drop, for the imminent doom to present itself. The pit in my stomach always growing larger whenever I felt uncomfortable (which was all the time). Loud noises startled me more than they should have, and my hands and feet would never sit still.

For years, I couldn't be touched anywhere without setting me off into a nervous episode. I refused to go on medication because I didn't want anything to be wrong with me. I found other ways to keep my anxiety at bay between reading, yoga, tennis, just spending time with my friends, family and pets; always doing something to avoid being still and silent with my thoughts.

College was an entirely new ball game. While I no longer got jumpy when people touched or hugged me, loud noises still scared me and the knot in my stomach turned and turned. The stress from school and a new environment got to me, and I started having panic attacks. On the outside, I was still happy and carefree, but on the inside, I was crumbling. I finally went on medication going into second semester freshman year of college.

I was ashamed that I had to rely on something to help me keep my anxiety in check. I didn't want to tell anyone because I didn't want them to look at me differently or even worse, pity me. I was still me, I just had a little help keeping my nerves calm. While it took me a while to accept it, going on medication to help my anxiety was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I'm living my life fuller than I thought I could, and as my mom likes to tell me, I'm still "causing trouble and stirring the pot."

But enough about me. The point of me sharing this is to prove to you, the reader, that not everything—or everyone—is as they appear. Everyone has a story to tell, even if it isn't an illness. As humans, we need to love and accept each other for our differences. We might not agree on everything, but we can still respect each other.

The biggest piece of advice for anyone struggling with anxiety is to talk to someone. I'm not saying you should see a therapist or get medical help, but if you are experiencing thoughts of depression or suicide please call 1 (800) 273-8255 or contact a doctor immediately. But if you are anxious, just talking to your friends, family, or someone you trust can help ease the pain and fear.

If you know someone suffering from anxiety, letting the person know that you are there to talk, to comfort, and to support them is the best thing you can do. Be patient and supportive, because that is what ultimately will help them battle their anxiety. Even a small amount of support, love, and kindness can work wonders.

Instead of saying "it's all in your head" or "stop imagining things," try "you will be OK," "I'm here for you." Those words can help more than you might realize. Just acknowledging anxiety is real and fighting against the stigma often portrayed in today's society can better a person's reality. Sometimes, it is OK not to be OK.

Together, we can fight the stigma. We can fight anxiety. You will be OK.