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I have lived with anxiety for most of my life. I remember experiencing social and general anxiety as a child, and this has followed me to adulthood.

Recently my anxiety has been playing up - Im struggling to sleep, experiencing what I call my mental paralysis during the day which stops me from doing The Thing and results in me laying in bed or on the sofa for hours at a time.

My boyfriend of almost 4 years also experiences anxiety, and as a child was homeschooled during high school years due to it. I would expect him to know how it feels then. But as Ive been talking more about anxiety (as it is affecting me more) he has had occasions of being unsupportive. I told him that drinking coffee is affecting my anxiety and this almost caused an argument because he believed I was inexplicably blaming my anxiety on coffee, rather than what I meant as the caffeine was causing anxiety-like symptoms.

Im trying to understand that he does not talk about this mental health a lot so it is difficult for him to listen and understand me. However it makes me feel low when I try to reach out for support for my anxiety and it feels like he is pushing me away.

He thinks Im being lazy when I sit around all day but when Im in a funk I cant bring myself out of it very easily.

Does anyone have any advice for how to help him understand what I need from him?