[user104658]

Originally Posted by Vicky.

Ah so basically anxiety is just going to be used to excuse all Lewis' strops. Got it

And I suffer panic attacks myself, as I said earlier in the thread, and have done for years now.

"All" of his behaviours? No... I don't tend to favour housemates at all and just try to assess all of them fairly . For example, I also defended Lewis G plenty, and I can also appreciate where Kay was at emotionally and fully accept that Lewis F was self-centred and inconsiderate in his approach with her. In fact he treated her quite badly and selfishly and should know better given his own struggles. I also found his comments about Cameron to Isabella in the bath in last night's episodes to be patronising and self-serving, and probably hurtful to Cameron if he had heard them. I'm not "stanning" anyone.

However in this case it was fairly evident to me that he was experiencing anxiety, or rather, stressing because he was anticipating anxiety and that was what set him off.

Panic attacks and generalized anxiety are not the same thing... the fact that he wasn't experiencing a panic attack is in no way "proof" that he wasn't experiencing anxiety.

And no it's not the case that mental health struggles "excuse anything and everything" but really, when it comes down to it, his actions weren't intended to harm anyone and in fact did not harm anyone (they didn't even fail the task; and plenty of others incurred fails too).

I guess I sort of see it this way... maybe it was a fake out, maybe not. If it WAS a fake out, then a bit of compassion doesn't cost anyone a thing and mocking / sneering doesn't benefit anyone. If it WASN'T a fake out... a bit of compassion can do a lot to help, and mocking / sneering can end up causing untold damage.

I'm mainly talking about other HM's here of course (Sian), rather than on the forum, as obviously he's unlikely to see or hear the comments made here. When it comes to the forum, it's more that I just find the lack of empathy to be pretty distasteful / not a character trait to be proud of .

Actually, no, that's not even true. It is damaging even if it's just online. Because it confirms what people who suffer from this sort of anxiety already know all to well; that there's a widespread opinion that it's exaggerated, or put on, or not that serious, and is open to scepticism and ridicule.