Anxiety - How to Help
According to Psychology Today, anxiety is the mental and physical state of negative expectation. The person affected experiences a cognitive feeling of dread and has intense anticipation of a bad outcome, whatever the situation may be. There can also be physical symptoms present such as shortness of breath, heart palpitations, trembling, dizziness, or nausea. While not everybody experiences all or any of these, it is important to understand that not everybody’s anxiety is the same.
Anxiety becomes a disorder when it starts to interfere with everyday life. About one-third of adults will deal with out-of-control anxiety at some point in their lives, according to Psychology Today. Treatment for this condition can range from medication to therapy to a combination of both. But what if you’re not the one with anxiety? How can you, someone who doesn’t deal with the same challenges, possibly help your close friend or loved one who deals with anxiety on a daily? Here are a few tips.
The first tip is to accept that you won’t fully understand what they are going through, as you have never experienced it. This can be a bit of a hard pill to swallow—how can you help when you don’t completely understand? This is where your perspective needs to change a bit.
Think of it this way—your lack of experience with anxiety is not necessarily the disadvantage you may think it is. By being able to stay level-headed and calm during your loved one’s anxiety or panic attack, you are given a chance to be a grounding presence that they can rely on. While this may not work for everyone, it can be helpful for those who appreciate a safe presence nearby. Which leads to the question—how do I know if you’re being overbearing?
The second tip is to offer support, but not to completely take over. In this situation, your job is to help someone help themselves. Anxiety is often a life-long challenge, it most likely won’t ever go away. However, that does not mean it cannot be managed. By helping without taking over the situation, you give the person support as they work out their issues themselves. The last thing you want to do is treat them as if they’re children—not only can that be insulting, but it could also hinder their progress with self-management.
The last tip is the most important—always, always, ALWAYS listen to what is asked of you by the person you are attempting to help. A lot of times, when trying to figure out what the best course of action is for helping someone, the best thing to do is just ask. While someone in the middle of an attack may not be able to give an answer at that very moment, planning ahead and having a candid discussion is a great idea.
With these tips and your good intentions in mind, your friends and loved ones are sure to be appreciative of the help you offer them as they progress in their journey to wellness.