Telling someone with debilitating anxiety they need to pray more and that numerous doctors for 20 years are wrong is damaging beyond words. Especially when it's someone you supposedly love.
No one would just want to have something this horrible.
Just because you don't understand something doesn't mean it's not real.
This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »
It's their way of trying to help (and a little bit of ignorance since people aren't still aware of what anxiety is and how it can ruin someone). If you usually pray it might be relieving but if you're not religious then it's just a bit of stupid advice (but hey, they have to say something, right?). Needless to say, you should listen to what doctors say and when someone (who obviously doesn't know what they are talking about) gives you a bit of "helpful advice" respond with a generic "oh thanks, I'll try to do that" or something. It satisfied their need so they shouldn't be bothering you later.
@Melpomene Oh it's family, someone who believes you can self-cure cancer. I can't even deal with the level of ignorance. They won't let up until I lose it in anger. It's offensive beyond belief. I think the exact words were, "What do you have to be anxious about?" This isn't regular anxiety, it's a chronic medical condition. Rub an oil on it is pretty much the person's advice.
@abooklover I think I know the person (at least I know someone who thinks/acts exactly the same as them). You're right, it's extremely sanctimonious & the height of ignorance. I believe people like that are not nice people at all, nor truly interested in other people's welfare - they simply seek to feed their own warped ego. The one I know is the same, doesn't believe in modern medicine & had a go at me for taking a prescribed course of antibiotics which I had to take for a serious medical condition last year. I was told "Prayers & positivity" is all I need & that I should become a vegetarian, then all my troubles would be over. I've also heard them say to someone that "nobody ever died of depression" - how wrong is that?! I had a very close friend take his own life through mental illness, so I detest this sort of judgemental 'Holier than thou' attitude.
