It is important to know that everyone who struggles with anxiety struggles differently, so I can’t speak for everyone. What I can do is thank anyone who has stood alongside someone who battles anxiety. For adding the love to our lives that we sometimes truly need. Not all of you understand what we go through on a daily basis, but you love us anyway.

Thank you for all the times you sat and listened while we cried over something that was more than likely not worth crying over. Something that seemed to make the walls to the world come crashing down. You don’t know it, but just by being there, you’ve made such a genuine difference. Thank you for seeing past the worry, the regret and the stress that have the ability to overcome us each day. Most importantly, thank you for making each day easier when it could be hard and exciting when it could be terrifying.

Loving someone who struggles with anxiety is not the easiest thing in the world. Relationships can be difficult, however, much of the time they are worth it. Just like caring for someone who does not struggle with anxiety or depression, a relationship with someone who does is just as gratifying. Unfortunately, a lot of people hear the word ‘anxiety’ and run for the hills. You did not, and for that, we thank you. For those who live with an anxiety, it’s hard to take a bond to someone else so lightly. We put ourselves in vulnerable situations when we feel safe. So thank you, for making us feel like we can.

As someone who manages day to day with anxiety, I am forever grateful to the people who have come into my life and stood by my side. The ones who do come into our lives, who choose to stay and who love us in such an unconditional way, are often times the light we need when things have the tendency to become dark. It helps to have someone willing to talk through the thoughts, the worries, and the stress. You may not always understand, but that never keeps you from being there when we need you most. Our hearts aren’t nearly as heavy as they were before we found you. So thank you, sincerely, for lessening the toll our anxiety can sometimes take.

Having the ability to love or care for anyone at all is a wonderful thing. People who struggle with issues such as anxiety sometimes feel alienated or different. There are even times when we feel as though we are not worthy of the same appreciation that others are. The truth is that more than 40 million adults over the age of 18 suffer from anxiety. It is not uncommon. This disappointing reality is the reason that mental health awareness is so valuable. It’s increasingly more important to know that just because you struggle, you are still essential to the world you live in. So thank you, to those who appreciate people for who they are, despite their worries, their stress or whatever else they may battle on a daily basis. Thank you for serving as an example to others that loving someone, anyone at all matters greatly.