by 
Anxiety is More Than Just Being Shy
Pop culture shines a spotlight on anxiety, and the formative years can be the culprit.
Having teenage daughters keeps me current with what’s hip in the world. From music to clothes to new slang, I feel in the loop, and simply put, it excites me to know all of the cool things kids are doing these days. It keeps me young.
So, when I heard a new song featuring Doechii, Anxiety, the beat “slapped” and the lyrics drew me in. Doechii doesn’t have much of a filter, and that is what I like about her. Plus, she is sober now, another highlight for me as a sober woman. She doesn’t sugarcoat her lyrics, yet she tells it how it is. Or, how it was.
Anxiety, keep on tryin’ me
I feel it quietly
Tryin’ to silence me, yeah
Anxiety, shake it off of me
Somebody’s watchin’ me
It’s my anxiety, yeah
This song has been in my head for days now, and I thought of it again while diving into one of my favorite series.
Watching Actors Play Out Anxiety
While watching The White Lotus last night, anxiety was mentioned and portrayed quite often. One of the characters has a love affair with benzodiazepines, specifically Lorazepam, and her husband starts slipping them into his mouth because he is going through something extremely stressful and anxiety-inducing. He ends up taking all of her pills, and she freaks out because she has to be around people. When you depend on a substance to ease your anxiety, the anxiety may be debilitating once the pills are nowhere to be found.
I remember those days. Anxiety would keep on trying me—first it was quietly, and then I couldn’t shake it off of me, just like Doechii describes. I wanted to jump through the screen last night and tell the characters to stop with the pills before it’s too late.
There are too many funny—if you can call it that—memes taking over social media that are laughing off the use of pills to ease anxiety. I’m pretty sure the people making these memes have never experienced withdrawal from benzodiazepines.
What Broods Anxiety?
Anxiety isn’t just born out of nowhere. It often brews slowly, triggered by a combination of genetics, environmental factors, and life experiences. Childhood trauma, unstable family dynamics, or even high expectations placed on kids during their formative years can contribute to chronic anxiety in adulthood. It’s not always about a single event—sometimes, it’s the constant feeling of not being enough, not being safe, or not being understood that lays the groundwork for an anxious mind.
Social media also plays a significant role in breeding anxiety, especially in today’s hyper-connected world. Teens and young adults are constantly exposed to curated versions of other people’s lives, making them feel inadequate or out of place. The pressure to keep up, to fit in, and to be “perfect” adds an unseen but heavy burden that fuels anxious thoughts.
Moreover, societal expectations often teach people to suppress their emotions instead of expressing them. Bottling up feelings creates a pressure cooker effect, where anxiety eventually bubbles to the surface. Add to that the normalization of overworking and glorifying busyness, and it’s no wonder that so many people—young and old—feel overwhelmed and out of control.
Coping Mechanisms: Helpful or Harmful?
When anxiety takes over, people naturally seek relief. Unfortunately, not all coping mechanisms are healthy. Some, like meditation, journaling, or talking to a trusted friend, can help ease anxiety in the long term. But others—like relying on alcohol, drugs, or even excessive social media scrolling—may offer temporary relief while making anxiety worse over time.
Benzodiazepines, often prescribed to manage severe anxiety, are a double-edged sword. While they can provide immediate relief, they are highly addictive and can lead to dependency if used long-term. The withdrawal symptoms can be brutal, making it feel impossible to function without them. And that’s where the danger lies—when the body becomes dependent on a substance to quiet the mind, true healing becomes even harder to achieve.
Breaking Free from the Cycle
Breaking free from the grip of anxiety is a journey, not a quick fix. It requires a combination of self-awareness, healthy coping strategies, and sometimes professional help. Therapy, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help individuals identify and challenge the thought patterns that fuel anxiety. Building a support system and engaging in activities that promote relaxation, like mindfulness or exercise, can also play a huge role in managing anxiety.
Just like Doechii’s lyrics remind us, anxiety tries to silence us, but we don’t have to let it. By acknowledging it, facing it head-on, and learning how to cope in healthier ways, we can start to shake it off—one small step at a time.
