Mental Illness Poems

Poems about Mental Health

Discovering you suffer from a mental illness can be devastating. When faced with this challenge, most people work hard to pursue treatment and inform themselves about the disease. Even still, keeping a positive outlook and attempting to maintain good communication with your loved ones can become extremely challenging. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you may feel deep sadness and frustration because of your illness. Such feelings are normal, and should not be repressed. In fact, expressing them to a close friend or through writing can help you to cope, and even thrive, despite your mental illness.

53 Poems about Anxiety and Panic Disorders

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1. Broken

Suffering from PTSD can be difficult at times. It takes a special kind of person to understand how to handle someone who tends to fall into "a dark place" and re-lives traumatic experiences. Lucky for me, I found that person almost 7 years ago and am so grateful to have him at my side when I need him the most. Thank you for loving me and never feeling that I'm just too broken!
- By Tonya
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2015 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Loving Someone With PTSD

If I turned around and walked away, would you notice I'm gone?
Would you even care?
When you look at me, do you see the smile on my face,
Or do you see the tears I fight to hold inside?

If I turned around and walked away, would you notice I'm gone?
Would you even care?
When you look at me, do you see the smile on my face,
Or do you see the tears I fight to hold inside?
Do you see a strong, willful woman I portray,
Or the scared little girl who never quite goes away?
If I broke down and lost all control,
Would you know how to handle me,
Would you hold me 'til I stop shaking,
Kiss away all of my tears?
Would you know how to lift me up
From a place far below recognition?
You see a sexy, loving woman,
But I'm so much more.
I'm sad,
I'm lonely,
I'm unpredictable,
I'm broken,
I'm irrational,
I'm complicated.
You say you want me,
But you don't even know.
You see who I let you see,
Who I've always let you see,
But what about the real me,
The everyday me?
The girl who never seems to get anything right
The one who could break down at any given moment
And have no clue why?
I try so hard to fight away my doubts.
For a while they bury themselves away,
So far away that I think they're gone forever,
But I guess nothing lasts forever,
Because the pain and tears always find their way back to me.
Can you handle me,
Can you handle ALL of me?
Am I worth the time?
Do you really love me enough
To stand by me through all my troubles,
Or am I just too broken for you?
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Beautifully written right from the heart. Carry on telling people how you feel; don't keep things bottled up like my son did. Unfortunately, he's no longer with us. See my poem, "Jonathan's...

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2. Just Wait For The Sun

My poem is about holding on for better days and waiting for the bad times to pass. With all the sad news recently about Caroline Flack and mental health/suicide awareness being so prevalent in the news, this poem is just trying to say please don't think things will always be this bad. Please don't give up. You are not alone. It is a plea to anyone who might ever feel like there is nothing left to live for.

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- By Lisa Marks
- Published by Family Friend Poems March 2020 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Better Days Will Come

When everything's darkness
And you feel so alone,
When the rain doesn't stop
And you can't make it home,

When everything's darkness
And you feel so alone,
When the rain doesn't stop
And you can't make it home,
When it feels all is lost
And you just want to run,
It can't rain forever.
Just wait for the sun.

When family is pain,
When friends can't be found,
When you just want to scream
But you can't find the sound,
When it's all your fault,
And you feel like you're done,
Just wait for the sun.
The sunshine will come.

The storm always passes.
It won't last forever.
The rain always stops and gives way to good weather.
The brightest and warmest of days still to come.
Please wait for the sun.
The sunshine will come.

People who need you,
People who still love you
Can warm up your soul like the sunshine above you.
You're never alone,
No matter what's done.
Wait for the sun.
Just wait for the sun.

Dark clouds always pass.
I promise you, hun.
We're all waiting with you.
Just wait for the sun.
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Wow! This is an amazing poem! I love how the poem just flows and makes so much of sense. Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem. I know you posted this like 2 years ago but I hope you're...

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3. Mysterious Pain

I have struggled with anxiety for many years. It is such an awful thing, and for people who don't have any idea what it is like, it is hard for them to understand. They think that you can just pull yourself out of it. One day I was so anxious and overwhelmed by these feelings, and I started to write. This is what came to me. For any of you who struggle with this, you are not alone. I hope that you will somehow learn to overcome it. Unfortunately, I have not, but I will never give up hope.

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- By Peggy Stewart
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2011 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Anxiety Disorder

With her head hung low
and nowhere to go,

she can't explain

With her head hung low
and nowhere to go,

she can't explain
this mysterious pain.

It comes on so fast.
How long will it last?

Her heart is just pounding; her head starts to spin.
Please go away; she does not want you in.

She's uncontrollably crying.
It feels like she's dying.

Her body is trembling; her hands start to shake.
She feels so helpless with this horrible ache.

Someone, please help her; make this go away.
She can't stand to feel this way one more day.

Someone, please help her; she's down on her knees.
She's scared and helpless and hopes no one sees.

With her head hung low,
not knowing where to go,

she tries to explain
this mysterious pain.
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No one understands what I am suffering from. My new doctor has decided I am taking a far too dangerous drug, so he is weaning me off. I must suffer again for the length of this weaning...

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4. The Monster

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. In April of this past year (2018) I landed myself in the psych ward after giving myself third degree burns. This poem explains some of my story--where I've been, the paths I've walked, and the new life I've stumbled upon.

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- By Olivia M Likens
- Published by Family Friend Poems September 2018 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Fighting Through Anxiety

Dear Anxiety,

When they ask me what I am afraid of,
I lie.

Dear Anxiety,

When they ask me what I am afraid of,
I lie.

I can never expose you,
never tell the truth about you
for fear of speaking you into existence.
You are my punisher and my captor,
my tormentor, my torturer.
You are the little voice inside of my head
telling me bad, bad things to do to myself,
things I can't talk about
for fear I'll forget who I am and turn into you.

You tell me we are one and the same, but I am not you.
I would never hurt a child the way you have hurt me.
I would never tell a young girl she is unlovable,
or fat,
or ugly,
or crazy,
or worthless.

I would never tell her to carve ugly, terrible words into her body,
to hold a flame to her skin,
until she has burned herself so badly that the pain goes out like a light
and her nerves are dead,
just like she should be.

I don't know why I listen to you
when you force me to my knees in front of the toilet.
When you send me running around the house in a panic,
searching in vain for a pencil sharpener I haven't already dismantled.
When you tell me the closest to love
I will ever come is sending naked pictures of myself
to disgusting hunters of young prey.

But I am not afraid of them.
I am afraid of the shadows of my mind
of the twisted and warped reality I am living in.

And I scream, because it is all in my head.
I scream because none of it is real.
I scream because you are clawing your way up my throat,
stealing my voice, gouging out my eyes, eating away at the lining of my stomach,
turning my bones to jello and my hair to dust,
destroying, destroying, destroying, destroying, destroying, destroying.

ENOUGH.

I have had ENOUGH. I am not you.
I never was.
I never will be.
This is only a body, and you are only a feeling, and I will rise above.

I am above this, above you, above my thoughts, above it all.
And I will survive.
And I will love me.
And I will not let go.

Sincerely,
Olivia
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I am a person with worry, fear, doubt, and with grace. I worry for those who will be hurt by me, those who will be disappointed in me, those who will care for me but leave me, and those who I...

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5. Another Breakdown

This poem is about breaking down after you hold onto pain for way too long and then it finally just escapes you.

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- By Shaydee A. Ault
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2018 with permission of the Author.
Poem: Experiencing A Mental Breakdown

It's hard when you're always lying,
Always hiding the way you feel.
Losing your sight on truthful words,
Forgetting what is real.

It's hard when you're always lying,
Always hiding the way you feel.
Losing your sight on truthful words,
Forgetting what is real.

It's hard when you forget to laugh
And you're scared that someone might see.
Hoping no one saw your face,
As you struggle to remember how to breathe.

It's hard to pretend you're happy,
And you're terrified someone might ask.
It's becoming harder every day;
It's becoming quite a task.

You feel when your body shakes,
As it searches for something to hold.
Though the temperature feels hot,
Your heart and mind feel cold.

Your throat feels like it's closing,
And your legs feel like they're weak.
You try your hardest to grasp a breath,
But there's not even enough to speak.

Your hands remain unsteady,
And your heart pounds like a drum,
And even though you can barely walk,
You fight the urge to run.

You scream as the world starts spinning,
And your knees drop straight to the ground.
You realize in that moment
You're just having another breakdown.
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Thanks for writing this touching poem! I have struggled my way through so many things that nobody ever cared to ask me about. I had a very troubling childhood and I still suffer from it. The...

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6. Signed, Your Mind

I have been struggling with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder for about a year and a half now. My poem is from the point of view of your mind, because with these mental illnesses, you're in constant battles with what's going on in your head. I want to spread awareness and erase the stigma attached to mental illness.

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- By Emma
- Published by Family Friend Poems December 2015 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Anxiety And Panic Disorder

Get dressed, love.
You're going to be late.
You look at yourself in the mirror,
The one you really hate.

Get dressed, love.
You're going to be late.
You look at yourself in the mirror,
The one you really hate.

Put it down, love.
It's caused you so much pain.
You're going to do damage.
You don't want to be called insane.

Stand up, love.
Your tears make you weak.
Wipe off that black mascara,
Proof of sadness upon your cheek.

Take your pills, love.
You must try your very best.
Forget about your dizzy spells,
The tightening in your chest.

Chin up, love.
No one can know your thoughts.
You must act like you're happy
While your heart just sits and rots.

Smile a little, love.
Let me see those pearly whites.
No one has to know
What you thought about all those nights.

Breathe for me, love.
Your pain won't be forever.
Take my hand, and I'll take yours.
We'll get through this together.
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I'm a 15-year-old female who was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and severe depression two years ago. I love the way this poem expresses how I feel almost every day. It's hard to get...

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7. Uninvited Guest

Anyone who has suffered from depression will understand this poem. I urge you to fight. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel.
- By Vicky
- Published by Family Friend Poems October 2007 with permission of the Author.
I'm feeling broken down, my body aches
My heart, it bleeds from past mistakes
Can't stop the tears; they fall like rain
The words are spinning 'round my brain

I'm feeling broken down, my body aches
My heart, it bleeds from past mistakes
Can't stop the tears; they fall like rain
The words are spinning 'round my brain
So scared and feeling so alone
The coldness fills my every bone
No food, no sleep, can't think at all
Each way I turn, another wall
This darkness haunts my very soul
My world seems dead; I've lost control
The only weapon is my pen
Depression has moved in again
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The poet has penned down his pains in a truly pictorial ways that draws the picture of his mental condition of broken heart in the mind of the readers.

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8. Life Is An Illusion

Suicide has always been a haunting ghost in my mind. An easy way out or great escape? I have battled the fight most of my life. I actually wrote this after cutting my wrist in a mental hospital. But it has become one of my favorites. Mainly because I was willing to take my last breath but instead was given more life. It isn't intended to promote suicide but to give insight into the mind of someone who has contemplated it. Good vs evil. Heaven and hell. Giving up or pushing forward.
- By Trisha
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2015 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Giving Up Or Pushing Forward

Surrounded by people yet all alone
Trapped within this solitary zone
A world where chaos and hate overtake
Every bit of happiness that may try to escape

Surrounded by people yet all alone
Trapped within this solitary zone
A world where chaos and hate overtake
Every bit of happiness that may try to escape
Laughter and smiles never seem to last
Because I am haunted by memories of my past
Running the distance with nowhere to go
These are the days of my life, a Broadway show
Screaming for help, does anyone hear
The demons of death are coming so near
Echoes in my head tormenting me all day long
Breaking the woman who was once very strong
What does serenity mean anyway
Is it the swag in my step or just the words I say
Deep rooted evil no time for a soul mate
Wondering why joy is always a day late
Suicide is the easy answer many times I've tried
Happiness seems to be the tears I have cried
Unable to distinguish what's real from what's fiction
Hope is an illusion, an optimist's prediction
What will it take to get me right
A visit from the devil on a lonely night
Angels prepare to battle and take a stand
To remind me of their holy land
When I want to give up, they push for me to be strong
In my head I hear their harmonious song
A tranquil state I now find myself
Dealing with the hand in which I was dealt
Good vs evil, what does it really mean
Am I dirty when I appear to be clean
Life is an illusion a constant mind trick on me
Who knows what my fate will be
Heaven and hell are both fair game
Will I succumb to peace or fall down in shame
Surrounded by people yet all alone
Trapped within this solitary zone
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I was moved by this poem because I believe left alone with your own thoughts can be suicidal. You can feel like you are not a part of the human race. That you are only existing. But I've come...

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9. Panic Attack

My name is Brittany, and I suffer from panic disorder, which stops me from doing regular things. I can't go into a store or car, for example, without having a panic attack. I write a lot of poetry so I thought I'd share this with you describing how I feel when I have one.
- By Brittany
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2011 with permission of the Author.
Closing in all around me,
a fear I can't describe.
All shaky and confused,
I think I'm going to die.

Closing in all around me,
a fear I can't describe.
All shaky and confused,
I think I'm going to die.

Thoughts so unsettling
are blocking everyone's attempts.
When all they try is to help me,
I can't make sense of this.

My heart hurts,
my head hurts,
and crying about it
only makes it worse.

Nobody can ever
truly understand,
and unless you've gone through it,
you wouldn't stand a chance.

It's just anxiety,
another day of black.
You must think that I'm crazy.
It's just another panic attack.
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I'm Rose, I'm only 14, and have suffered from severe anxiety and social anxiety since I was around 10. For the past 2 years I've suffered from depression, this poem literally lit up my heart....

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10. Something Lost

Depression, anxiety and mind a mess
- By Amar Qamar
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2011 with permission of the Author.
Depression And Anxiety

I had it once, now it's gone
Like a knot it's been undone
Was once so tight, now so slack
Happy times I wish I could have back

I had it once, now it's gone
Like a knot it's been undone
Was once so tight, now so slack
Happy times I wish I could have back
I sit a home, and feel so lonely
It'll be great if that was all, if only...
Zombie on the outside, the living dead
But so many questions floating around my head
Confusions rains down, it pours
Pandora's Box, I've opened the doors
No sign of anyone who can help
No sense of feelings or of myself
Where I can find the answers
Who am I? What am I?
Am I a dream? Or am I the dreamer?
Am I a thought? Or a complex computer,
How do my thoughts start? What makes them end?
What makes me do this? What makes me do that?
I know I overanalyze, I can't help it
Thinking and gazing into space, as I sit
Why can't I accept the wisdom of those around
Not letting myself accept the answers I've found
I want to free myself from my mind
And not just to pretend
Everything's okay everything's fine
I want to be NORMAL... When it's going to end....

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11. Breathe

This poem is about my experience with anxiety and how I am still trying to breathe and work through the hard times. I know there are people out there with experiences like mine, and I hope this poem will help people know they are not alone.

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- By Tiffaney L. Ganci
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2018 with permission of the Author.
Living With Anxiety

Panic, worry, darkness closing in around me.
These are some of the words I could use to describe my anxiety,
but nothing I can say could speak of its entirety,
as I cry internally thinking I've lost my sanity.

Panic, worry, darkness closing in around me.
These are some of the words I could use to describe my anxiety,
but nothing I can say could speak of its entirety,
as I cry internally thinking I've lost my sanity.

Doctors, counselors, saying there's something wrong with me.
My parents telling me to calm down and stop being so crazy.
But how can I calm down when the world around me
is spinning out of control and I can barely see?

Breathe. You will get through this.

You will get through the sleepless nights,
all the internal fights,
and the days that seem right
when the world hits you with all its might.

Breathe. You will get through this.

I know you think I'm overreacting about the silliest little things,
but to me those silly little things seem like the doom the world could bring.
Can't you see, a spilled glass of milk to you can seems like an earthquake to me.

I know it might be hard to understand my anxiety,
but I hope today I have given you some clarity.

So the next time someone is scared and feels like they can't breathe,
shaking and crying, unable to see,
don't tell them they're overreacting; don't call them crazy.
Help them realize there is more to life than this misery,
and no matter the doubt inside, they will be who they are meant to be.

Breathe. I will get through this.

Because I know I am more than just my anxiety,
and one day I hope to be free of it entirely.
But until then, I will keep telling myself, quietly,
I am stronger than this. I am stronger than my anxiety.
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I completely understand you. Whenever I go to the doctor, they say nothing's wrong. But the truth is, it feels like everything is wrong. And it hurts so much, anxiety.

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12. The Ruse

No one can truly understand depression unless you either live with it or love someone who lives with it. This poem is dedicated to my beautiful daughter who has been suffering from depression for so long I don't remember when she wasn't depressed. All I can do is try and love her through her pain...
- By Annabel Sheila
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2008 with permission of the Author.
Poem Unmasking The Hidden Struggle Of Depression

She's beauty, style, poise and grace,
At least she appears to be.
But no one knows the girl who hides
Behind the face they see.

She's beauty, style, poise and grace,
At least she appears to be.
But no one knows the girl who hides
Behind the face they see.

Her self-esteem is all but gone,
Of her ego there's barely a trace.
There's so much pain behind the mask
She wears upon her face.

Depression has controlled her life
With far too many tears.
Her smile is fake; she's good at it;
She's been doing it for years.

The cover is what attracts us
To the story within the book.
And she's afraid that without the ruse,
No one would bother to look.
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13. Internal War

This poem is very personal to me and was inspired by the everyday struggles of having a mental illness, specifically anxiety and depression. Having worked in mental hospitals, I know I am not alone in this. Every day is a battle, but every day is also a win to be proud of.
- By Laura Campbell
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2014 with permission of the Author.
The Everyday Struggle With Mental Illness

Every day is war to me,
A struggle to obtain reality.
A shower, my make-up, putting on my shoes.
It's hard to see the point some days,

Every day is war to me,
A struggle to obtain reality.
A shower, my make-up, putting on my shoes.
It's hard to see the point some days,
And no one has a clue.

I have been deemed so many things
By those who wouldn't know.
High maintenance, a worrier,
A girl putting on a show.

I've been trained to feel unworthy,
Ugly and hard to love.
The pills, they make me tired,
But I get by just enough.

Sometimes I feel that I'm one mistake away
From losing all I've suffered for.
While every day is a success,
I am tired of my war.
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I think this poem was a very good insight into what it is like to have anxiety, I am currently having an attack now and it is nice to have proof that I am not alone. Most of my friends don't...

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14. Now You've Recovered

I have written a poem about recovery from mental illness. It touches upon the fact that someone who has recovered is now living a brand new life, and they must answer the question, "Now that you've recovered, what will you do?"

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- By Charles A Cino
- Published by Family Friend Poems November 2016 with permission of the Author.
Inspiring Poem On Starting Life After Mental Illness

When you recover, what will you do?
When you recover, will you still be you?
Will you be stronger, will you be new,
When you recover from what you've been through?

When you recover, what will you do?
When you recover, will you still be you?
Will you be stronger, will you be new,
When you recover from what you've been through?

Can life get better than it was before?
Will you realize your dreams and improve your score?
Will people still remember your name,
Or will they forget you because they're ashamed?

Life in recovery may not be the same.
The rules may have changed in this brand new game.
You can pick up the pieces and make a new start,
And courage and hope keep you from falling apart.

The world all around you seems different and changed.
Things that once were now seem out of range,
But you can recapture your life and fulfill
The dreams that were lost when you took ill.

The journey to wellness takes time and is long,
And those that get well are exceptionally strong.
For depression can kill, but you have survived.
Your goal to recover has kept you alive.

Now you're recovered, what will you do?
You suffered and conquered and saw it through.
Back from the black and abyss of despair,
It is time to move on; it is time to care.
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I've been to hell and back, as a survivor of CSA. Your poem inspired me in such a deep way; the healing process strips us of our former identities and we stand empty and alone, trying to...

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15. I'll Fight For Her

This poem was inspired by my girlfriend. She has a disorder called borderline personality disorder, and sometimes seeing eye to eye can be hard, but no one will ever see her the way I do.
- By Joshua J. Siferd
- Published by Family Friend Poems February 2018 with permission of the Author.
Never Giving Up On Love

She can be a handful.
Yes, this is true.
But you won't look at her
In the ways that I do.

She can be a handful.
Yes, this is true.
But you won't look at her
In the ways that I do.

You couldn't comprehend
What goes through her mind.
You wouldn't understand
The look in her eyes.

From the fits of rage
To the unconditional love.
There isn't a day
Where I'd change any of the above.

Countless nights
I've stayed awake,
Wondering if it's right
Or if I'm about to break.

But in the end,
I know for sure.
No one else in this world
Would try to understand her.

Nights can be bright.
Days can be dark.
But even after every fight,
When it gets hard,
I'll never lose sight
Of what's carved in my heart.
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16. Panic Disorder

Just wrote how I felt when I have a panic attack.
- By Brittany
- Published by Family Friend Poems July 2011 with permission of the Author.
Tightness in my chest.
I can't breathe.
The only time I can escape
is when I fall asleep.

Tightness in my chest.
I can't breathe.
The only time I can escape
is when I fall asleep.

Constant nausea,
constant fear.
How did this happen,
knowing I'm safe here?

It's a constant worry
another will strike.
I worry about it all the time.
It makes me lose my appetite.

My sight darkens,
my life flashes.
My worries control my thoughts,
my heart crashes and burns to ashes.

You have no idea what it's like
to live one day in my shoes.
Maybe if you did,
you wouldn't judge me as you do.
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I am 13 years old, but I've gone through so much, well I believe I have at least. All my life I've grown up with harsh punishments, including intense beatings using belts, bamboo, and my...

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17. Love Is Patient

When you suffer from depression and anxiety, it makes life hard and love even harder. Your life is a mess and you can barely deal with it. You don't think you'll ever find true love. Then suddenly you do. This poem is relating to how you know you have "the one."
- By Haileigh B. Johnston
- Published by Family Friend Poems June 2020 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Loving Someone With Anxiety And Depression

You tell me every day
How much I mean to you.
Now it's time for me to say
What I know is absolutely true.

You tell me every day
How much I mean to you.
Now it's time for me to say
What I know is absolutely true.

I know how much you love me
And just how much you care.
You don't always have to say it
Because you do just by being there.

I know you really worry
Every time my mood seems to change.
I want you and only you,
No matter how often I act strange.

I may not have life figured out,
But trust me, that's okay.
Because with you, no matter what,
I have the strength to make it through each day.

You love me on my bad days
More than you do the good ones.
You love me more when you've had enough
And think that you should run.

You always know when to hold me down
But never hold me back.
I know I fail at tasks a lot,
But you always pick up the slack.

Don't ever doubt yourself
On if what you're doing is right.
Just know that I am so thankful
To have a man like you in my life.

I know I'm not always the best
When it comes to getting things done,
But that is why I have you
And how I know you are the one.
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18. Am I Alone

A heartbreaking portrayal of mental Illness
- By Siobhan Green
- Published by Family Friend Poems August 2008 with permission of the Author.
I get a funny feeling,
it comes from deep inside.
I get all mad and angry,
wanting to go and hide.

I get a funny feeling,
it comes from deep inside.
I get all mad and angry,
wanting to go and hide.

My doctor calls it depression,
my dad says it's just me.
But the thoughts and feelings,
no one will ever be able to see.

Some say I'm psycho,
some say I'm just weird.
It's like I'm a different person,
and the old me just disappeared.

I get really edgy,
I want to commit suicide real bad.
Then I get a headache,
followed by feeling sad.

I wish I could get help,
I wish it would go away.
Maybe if I keep praying real hard,
it will someday.

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I was diagnosed schizo-effective at 35 but I was having problems way before then. I began hearing voices when I was 29. I lost who I was and became something else. I was always wild and...

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19. Struggling To Breathe

This is a poem that I never finished writing. It was written during an episode of intense anxiety. I thank God that it passed, so I never finished writing it. I'm a religious teenage girl, so I reference God in most of my poems. If anyone can relate to any feelings that I've had, I hope this helps them.
- By Sima
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2021 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Anxious Thoughts

I'm feeling so scared,
I can't breathe but I must.
Thinking so many thoughts,
Trying so hard to trust.

I'm feeling so scared,
I can't breathe but I must.
Thinking so many thoughts,
Trying so hard to trust.

These fears are irrational,
But I can't make them stop.
I just wish that they'd leave,
That my heart rate would drop.

I can't catch my breath,
My heart's running a race,
Against my emotions,
Struggling to keep pace.

I struggle to breathe,
But each sound makes it worse.
My world seems so dark,
I'm trying to reverse.

Away from the triggers,
Away from the pain,
All my muscles are tense,
Why can't it be explained?

There is no good reason,
But I can't press pause.
I don't think this is normal,
I can't find the cause.

God, I need you,
I can't live on my own
You're the only one who knows
Where my fears are sewn.

Why do they come?
What's the cause of this pain?
I want to let go,
But I can't just the same.

I try to calm down,
But my fears just won't quit.
I can't find air to breathe.
I'm stuck in this pit.
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I'm almost 58 & feel this way daily! I have severe PTSD from a life of every kind of abuse you can think of & many you can't. Have had chronic pain since 1998 (24/7!), Fibromyalgia, severe...

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20. Worry Is The Game

This is my daily struggle. It's really quite unbearable.
- By Tiff W
- Published by Family Friend Poems April 2015 with permission of the Author.
Poem About Struggling With Anxiety

I sit here and feel so alone.
Things in my mind broken.
Home doesn't feel like home.

I sit here and feel so alone.
Things in my mind broken.
Home doesn't feel like home.

The thoughts creep in,
The symptoms come too.
When this happens,
I don't know what to do.

My heart races,
I feel so strange.
Anxiety is the word.
Worry is the game.

Life seems so unfair.
People places and things
Seem like they're not there.

I feel unreal,
I feel so alone.
Fear is my enemy,
The enemy is the unknown.

My life was perfect,
Just a simple girl.
Things got changed.
I entered the worry world.

I can't sleep.
Sometimes I wanna die.
I look around the room.
I find a place to cry.

Trapped in my mind,
Nowhere to go.
Worry is in there.
It took the show.

Love is no longer an essence.
Money doesn't matter.
Sometimes all I want to do
Is just jump and splatter.

Why does this happen to me?
Guess I'll never know.
I pray for help.
I pray for somewhere to go.

I want it to stop,
Go to someone else.
Sacrificing life,
Trying not to dwell.
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This hit deeply. I suffer from so many mental health problems. I seem to be declining now. I'm lower than I have ever been. This poem put it in perspective and words I can't figure out that I...

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1 - 20 of 53

Mental Illness Poems

Poems about Mental Health

53 Poems about Anxiety and Panic Disorders

1. Broken

2. Just Wait For The Sun

3. Mysterious Pain

4. The Monster

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember. In April of this past year (2018) I landed myself in the psych ward after giving myself third degree burns. This poem explains some of my story--where I've been, the paths I've walked, and the new life I've stumbled upon.

5. Another Breakdown

This poem is about breaking down after you hold onto pain for way too long and then it finally just escapes you.

6. Signed, Your Mind

7. Uninvited Guest

Anyone who has suffered from depression will understand this poem. I urge you to fight. There IS a light at the end of the tunnel.

8. Life Is An Illusion

9. Panic Attack

My name is Brittany, and I suffer from panic disorder, which stops me from doing regular things. I can't go into a store or car, for example, without having a panic attack. I write a lot of poetry so I thought I'd share this with you describing how I feel when I have one.

10. Something Lost

Depression, anxiety and mind a mess

11. Breathe

This poem is about my experience with anxiety and how I am still trying to breathe and work through the hard times. I know there are people out there with experiences like mine, and I hope this poem will help people know they are not alone.

12. The Ruse

13. Internal War

This poem is very personal to me and was inspired by the everyday struggles of having a mental illness, specifically anxiety and depression. Having worked in mental hospitals, I know I am not alone in this. Every day is a battle, but every day is also a win to be proud of.

14. Now You've Recovered

I have written a poem about recovery from mental illness. It touches upon the fact that someone who has recovered is now living a brand new life, and they must answer the question, "Now that you've recovered, what will you do?"

15. I'll Fight For Her

This poem was inspired by my girlfriend. She has a disorder called borderline personality disorder, and sometimes seeing eye to eye can be hard, but no one will ever see her the way I do.

16. Panic Disorder

Just wrote how I felt when I have a panic attack.

17. Love Is Patient

When you suffer from depression and anxiety, it makes life hard and love even harder. Your life is a mess and you can barely deal with it. You don't think you'll ever find true love. Then suddenly you do. This poem is relating to how you know you have "the one."

18. Am I Alone

A heartbreaking portrayal of mental Illness

19. Struggling To Breathe

20. Worry Is The Game

This is my daily struggle. It's really quite unbearable.