To the person that loves someone with anxiety,

Firstly, I see you.

The things you deal with.

It’s not always easy is it?

Being the whipping post, for crimes you didn’t commit.

Your loved one has been out in the world with a bucket full of fears in their face all day.

Fears they feel too anxious to share with the rest of the world.

So they put on a mask.

Too afraid to allow anyone to see the cracks that reside just beneath the surface.

The cracks that they perceive as ugly. Embarrassing. Disgusting.

It takes immense control and strength to keep that mask in place.

Not allowing it to slip for even a second.

Too afraid of the judgement that may follow if they did.

Yet with you, they feel safe.

With you, they can finally take off the mask.

That mask they have struggled all day to keep from slipping off.

The anxieties and emotions that have built up over the day seep from the cracks, no longer being contained.

And just like a caged animal finally being released, they are unpredictable. Angry. Scared.

Their first instinct is to attack.

And loved one, you’re their safe place.

The one that loves them in spite of those exposed cracks.

You’re one of the only ones to see behind the mask.

To see their vulnerability.

Their fears.

Their breakdowns.

Their truth.

To the person that loves someone with anxiety, thankyou.

From someone that experiences anxiety, thankyou for being a safe place for your loved one.

A safe place to take off their mask and if only for a little while, feel a little bit free