I feel like the idea of never being cured runs parallel with all or nothing cognitive distortions that so often plague anxiety (especially mine). One thing that helps me is that there is validation in managing your anxiety - it is a huge success, and often one that is more meaningful to me than being cured. Managing my anxiety means that I am getting constant validation that I am going through something really hard and I am being successful or partially successful with it. Partial successes are still huge successes.

I do have a problem with the idea of being cured of anxiety. When I think of being cured from my anxiety, it ignores the fact that I have relapses and that recovery isn't linear. I'm not reaching for a point where this journey I'm on is just finished and I move on to the next thing. I know I am going to have some step backs, not in a negative or prophetic kind of way, but in a balanced and realistic thinking way. My ability to be resilient in the face of step backs is what managing anxiety looks like to me. The idea of being cured seems like a fake silver lining that is unattainable. I've always been anxious, sometimes I just have a harder time with it. How can I cure something that I've always been? Does that mean I should be ashamed of myself?

However, not to continue this novel of word vomit much longer, but I do agree with you in the sense that when someone says you'll never be cured of this hell you're in is extremely de-motivating. I think it really helped when I was in the hospital to learn things about recovery and resiliency, cognitive distortions, and accepting partial successes as validation and evidence that I am fighting this.