Venting

[lmharrelson]

I need to vent about something that I think only people with anxiety will understand.
Background info: anxiety runs in my family: my dad takes something and several people on my mom's side are also on medication. I've had anxiety/emetophobia/OCD ever since I can remember (starting at least at age 4)and I've been on meds for about 8 or 9 years. My sister and my mom have never really understood and have always given me a hard time about my problems, even to this day. (my dear old sis just loves to pretend like she about to v* on my lap and my mom usually yells when I get panic attacks).

The kicker: my sis started on medication, because she now claims that she had anxiety, specifically OCD. When she described her "symptoms" to me she said that can't go to sleep until the doors are locked, lights turned off, etc. This is NOT OCD!!! OCD is if she flicks the lights on/off 10 times or if she has to get out of bed to quadruple check that the doors are locked

The Vent: My sis has NEVER shown any symptoms of having an axiety disorder I haven't noticed any behavioral changed either. She is belittling people who have REALL problems! Sure she may be experiencing some daily stresses, everyone does that doesn't mean you need to be medicated! That would be like a boyfriend/girlfriend dumping you and then claiming that you suffer from depression. She doesn't have a clue what it's really like to have problems and wouldn't be able to live inside my head for more than a day!
When I complained to my dad (who is usually supportive) he said that I wasn't a psychologist and that I needed to be more understanding. Can you believe it!

[r311dude]

I can see where you're coming from. I've known people who claim they have anxiety and panic issues, when it appears they just have mild anxiety (which i believe everyone suffers from to an extent) It's hard to tell though unless you're living in thier shoes though. But I do understand how you can be frusterated from that.

[centipede]

Your Dad may be right. I have mild to moderate emetophobia. No one in my family ever knew it because I never showed signs of it nor have I told them. Stressful times in my life bring it on moreso.

Everyone handles stress in different ways. Even if your sister doesn't have the anxiety you or other family members have, she believes she does.

[SimplyMe]

I can see both sides. On the one hand I have a friend kinda like that but I'm not around her all the time so I don't really know, maybe something has developed. On the other side your sister may have been picking on you all that time as a way to conceal her own shame/issues around her own anxiety. Either way, the best lesson I've ever learned is that we have absolutely no say or control over what others do/say/think/feel ... only how we react to it. If she is being a snot and trying to get under your skin then the best thing you can do is not let her and if she really does have a problem she probably needs your compassion and knowledge on the subject.