These illustrations show what day-to-day life is like with anxiety

For most of us, anxiety is nothing more than an uncomfortable feeling – an annoying cloud which can come about randomly and disappear as quickly as it arrived. Most of us can ignore this feeling, and live our lives the way we want to.

For some, however, this isn’t the case. Anxiety can become as attached as a limb, following you around wherever you go; watching everything you do and causing you to lose everything which makes you… well, you.

It’s not easy for someone with anxiety to explain how they feel, and it’s not easy for someone without anxiety to imagine what it’s like – but these illustrations go some way in putting it into perspective.

Having a complete inability to be productive

Being terrified of any changes to your routine

Experiencing the daily conversation struggle

Fighting a constant battle to maintain friendships

Struggling with the crushing weight of everyday issues

Always feeling alone, even in company

Possessing the impressive power to turn positives into negatives

…and to blame yourself for those negatives

Illustrations by Lauren Thompson