Is it always anxiety?

Skeptical you say? Quite frequently!

I have spent some time pondering this. You often hear people say, “I get anxious” or similar. We don’t always differentiate between fear and anxiety. We think it is the same thing but isn’t fear when what we experience is dangerous. When Morten was very sick in intensive care and couldn’t speak because his tongue was as thick and dry as an old shoe sole, then I was scared and experienced fear. When I think that there for sure will be an axe murderer in the movie theater if I go to the movies, that would be anxiety. Because I think that anxiety is when we are afraid without there being an actual dangerous situation. There is nothing to be afraid of, but KokoMiriam is convinced that the movie theatre is super dangerous and does everything she can to make Me realize it. My heart is beating and my chest is squeezing my lungs. My sweater’s only purpose is to squeeze me like an anaconda. Rings, bracelets, and earrings poke, itch, and squeeze, and my hair insists on covering my face. It becomes a physical battle to resist the urge to rip everything off and breathe freely!

That to me is anxiety! For Miriam knows very well that a movie theater is not dangerous. I’m sure there is some statistics about this somewhere, but I am sure that most people in Norway experience the movie theater as a fun, enjoyable, and far from a lethal place.

I’m not saying that people should stop using the word anxiety, but perhaps it is worth a thought when using the word. Because we have a few generations following us. And anxiety is much more common than when I was young. I wonder why?

Translated by Kari Boisvert