{I know it's long...but if you have time please read and offer some insight. Thanks.}
I have no one to blame but myself. Today is quite possibly the worst day of my life.
I was at a concert tonight, my favorite band in the entire world actually and they finally came to my city. My husband and I saw them 4 years ago in Minneapolis, so we've been waiting a while to see them again. I was so excited for months, and today especially - I spent hours getting ready, and I was fine until we got to the venue. I was so excited about the concert that I totally forgot about my anxiety interfering with this day. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks, and I've never been more angry and upset...honestly, never. My husband wanted to stand at the front but I can hardly stand being in a room with more than 20 people, so that was out of the question. I told him I would stand on the side and watch. So I did as he and my two brothers and our best friends rocked out and then I started to feel worse. I tried so hard to stay and just focus on the music but then I had a full blown panic attack. I didn't have a cell phone, car keys, bottle of water, or my husband - I was alone in a room full of thousands of people. I couldn't take it...I managed to "swim" my way to the front of the crowd just to find my husband so I could get the car keys so I could go home. He looked...really sad, disappointed almost I guess because he know how excited I was about this event. But he let me go anyway...
So as I type this right now they're all still there at the venue enjoying quite possibly the best concert I've ever missed. Some of you will say a concert big whoop, no big deal. Well, to me it is a big deal. My husband and I grew closer together as we were dating years ago because of our love of music; and when other people our age would be going out to the bar and partying we'd save up our money to go to concert after concert after concert, and collect memorabilia and such.
How can I continue to live like this when I can't even do the last thing that I love to do? I've been reduced to nothing, I don't even think I can call this living...I'm barely surviving. Nothing has ever phased me before this like. Because of my anxiety I've lost friends, jobs, basically my "life". Yes I'm still alive, I'm just not the same person I used to be...not even close. I used to be that girl who'd be at the front of the concert with literally thousands of people behind her with not a single fear about it. Now...just thinking about going back to the venue is making me nauseous. Nothing has ever stung like this before. As I was driving home by myself I cried...I cried so hard I thought I was going to puke, and I pleaded with God to just let me be normal. Why do I have to be like this? Why can't I just be normal and do the things I love to do? Or used to love...for that matter.
I get it now...I really do. As I was bawling my eyes out on the way home it finally clicked, I get it now...I have to work at this. No more procrastinating. No more lazy days of lying around and doing nothing. No more excuses. I am the world's biggest procrastinator, and now I've felt the full sting of that trait. I thought I was comfortable in my little "comfort box" or my apartment as everyone else knows it, but really I'm 23 I can't be stuck like this forever. I have so much life to live and there's no way I can just sit back and watch...especially because I remember the way I used to be.
I could keep writing...but I wont. I've never felt more anger and rage at myself for giving up on one of the most exciting days of my life. As I was walking out I wanted to blame my husband for letting me be there alone, but I realize now that I have no one to blame but myself...
Spartan