To suffer from anxiety – to endure this agony – is to know an indescribable
tragedy: A trauma that is exclusive to each individual, for which this
experience (to the extent we cannot feel another person’s pain) will
forever be a mystery to everyone else.
That does not mean people must bear this burden alone, because there is an
online community for men and women to receive help and help one another.
That site is OpenForest.net, a destination for individuals (myself included) who want to read the latest research about this condition, in addition to commentary and analysis from top medical professionals.
That such a site exists – that there is an expert with the intelligence and
wisdom to recognize such a site must exist – is a testament to the
significance of this matter of physical health and mental wellness; because
the latter influences the former in a multitude of ways, from changing
dietary habits for the worse to heightening the risk of developing heart
disease, hypertension, obesity, stroke and Type 2 Diabetes.
The mind can weaken or strengthen the body, which is yet another reason to
consider the seriousness of anxiety.
More importantly, the resources Open Forest provides speak to the urgency
of this situation: They address a subject too many of us ignore or dismiss,
while our respective friends and loved ones – our sisters and brothers, our
sons and daughters, our colleagues and coworkers – carry a crucible of
unimaginable weight, of unsustainable pressure, of unbelievable difficulty.
We owe it to them – we owe it to ourselves – to highlight the assistance
that is available right now, so people can communicate with likeminded
individuals and commune (virtually) with people who want to overcome this
disorder.
The more we emphasize the severity of this subject, the sooner we can help
those who deserve our attention.