Woman writes inspirational post about the effects of anxiety

Brittany Morefield's raw description of the devastating effects of anxiety has resonated with thousands of people

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Contrary to what you may think, it’s not always easy to spot when someone is suffering from anxiety.

Anxiety can manifest in many forms, such as waking up in the dead of the night or having to cope with drastic mood swings.

Brittany Nichole Morefield, a 23-year-old makeup artist from Nashville, USA wanted to try to explain in her own way what it’s like to live with anxiety.

“For as long as I can remember, I have always had anxiety,” Morefield told The Independent.

“For a long time, even still now, my own family hasn’t understood 'what’s wrong.' I’ve been told it’s all in my head and that I just need to sleep more.”

Brittany Morefield

Morefield decided to take to Facebook to speak out about the issue while in the midst of a panic attack. “I wrote that post as a coping mechanism,” she explained.

“Anxiety isn’t just having a hard time catching your breath,” she wrote in her viral post. “Anxiety is waking up at 3am from a dead sleep because your heart is racing.

“Anxiety is uncontrollable shaking and twitching. Anxiety is crying, real and painful tears. Anxiety is nausea. Anxiety is crippling. Anxiety is dark.”

Morefield's post has deeply resonated with thousands of people all over the world. So far, her post has received 185K reactions and almost 420K shares on Facebook.

Many people feel that Morefield was able to accurately articulate the crippling and unpredictable nature of anxiety.

One Facebook user, a woman called Izabela Skowrońska, commented: “This is the best thing I ever read about anxiety. I’m with you with my whole heart.”

Morefield couldn’t believe the incredible response she’s received on Facebook.

“I never ever expected for my post to get this big,” she admits. “It’s been really crazy but I’ve gotten the most amazing messages and comments.

“Thousands of people letting me know how much I’ve touched their lives and how much they feel at ease, knowing they aren’t alone.”

According to a study conducted by the NHS, as many as one in four people in the UK could experience a mental health problem in any given year.

With this staggering statistic in mind, it should come as no surprise that many people feel as though their voices have been heard through Morefield's words.