Why is it that those suffering from an anxiety disorder can have such a low self-esteem, and even believe they are of no worth to society?.

Let me say from the get go that I am not a medical person, nor have I any professional standing in the anxiety disorder marketplace

However, I do have over 13 years experience of my own anxiety issues to call on, plus a lot of information learned from studying and reading widely on the subject.

One of the questions which sufferers will continually pose to themselves is Am I Worthless, as often they will believe they are.

Anxiety issues can make people become introverted, continually listening just to the clamour going on inside their own heads. And part of that clamour is the insistent voice telling them they are useless. Now if they don’t talk about this to anyone else, that can be the only voice they will believe. It is after all the only one they hear on the subject.

It is of paramount importance that people first of all acknowledge to themselves exactly what it is they are suffering from. When they do this they will feel more able to talk to others. If they do not, then the feeling of worthlessness can only increase.

I know only too well from my own personal experience just what a lonely place having a disorder can be. The first step towards the enhancement of your self-esteem has to be the acceptance of what ails you; only then can the cure start. Worthlessness, or the feeling of being worthless, can be the catalyst for more serious matters, such as self-harm and even suicide, and it needs addressing, and quickly.

People need to understand they are just as special as the next person. They are unique, one of God’s children, and are not to blame for what has befallen them. This is not of THEIR doing, but the first step towards treating the disorder most certainly IS of their doing, and it starts with what I have outlined above i.e. self acceptance, and then opening themselves up so they can be helped.

Have you considered how difficult it can be to open yourself up in this way?. I know, from personal experience. It is not easy, and for some it can be a major barrier.

And to anyone reading this who is approached by someone with such a disorder, please ensure you attach no stigma to them in the way you react to their overture,

They are an individual, probably in some sort of personal torment, seeking help. Listen to them, do not judge or criticise them. Help them to find what they seek.

To get back to the worthlessness feeling. This of course can be exacerbated by the anxiety which can be felt as a result of feeling worthless, and so the horrible wheel can keeping going round and round.

Closing on this subject, anyone with a disorder needs to understand that they are a very special person, as we all are, and most definitely not worthless. They will start to effect a cure for themselves, and get rid of this feeling of worthlessness and what it can lead to, once they have accepted what ails them. They then must go and seek help, as it is surely out there. Getting back in control of your life can be one of the greatest ways to battle this feeling of being worthless.

As I experienced myself, your situation will improve from that point. I also know from what I have read of other sufferers, that the same was true with them.

Once that initial barrier is broken down within themselves, and people begin to talk to others about their disorder, they are at the beginning of the road to their cure. So the act of just lending a sympathetic ear can be of huge benefit to the sufferer, and then you can talk with them regarding seeking the right sort of help.

It is difficult to appreciate just how helpful this can be to someone, and how much it can do to both put them on the path to recovery, and also help with them getting rid of that awful feeling of being no worth to anyone, themselves included.

I really struggled to find my way out of the anxiety jungle I found myself in, and it was not until I started to both accept what I had and then to seek help that I started to come round.

I would suggest that anyone who is not in control of their life will have a low self-esteem. To the anxiety disorder sufferer, with the ailment literally taking them over, this feeling of worthlessness is understandable. So the answer is to find a way to resume control and thereby increase the feeling of worth.

Discussing the fact that you have an anxiety disorder with others is very, very difficult. Opening yourself up in that way is not easy, but from the moment it is started, the self-worth is increased. You have started to take control back of your life, with all the benefits that go with that, particularly starting to feel good about yourself again.