I remember having anxiety from a really young age. I was only comfortable around some immediate family members and refused to speak to or be around anyone else. At family gatherings I was forced to be around others , and was so uncomfortable I would hide under tables and just cry. I wouldn’t even eat until I knew everyone had left, and nobody would try to feed me. To make matters worse, my mom would allow people to pick me up and hold me while I kicked and screamed. I feel like my anxiety was not taken seriously as a kid. I was always called weird or “shy.” One of my earliest memories is going to Cracker Barrel with my grandma, and being too nervous to tell her what I wanted because the waiter there was making me anxious, and her exact words were “You’re being weird. I’m not taking you anywhere with me anymore.” I still cry when i think about it. I don’t know how to get rid of these bad memories. Although I have gotten much better, my families words and actions still affect me to this day. I still feel like I’m weird and a burden on them.