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How to Help Someone with Anxiety

Anxiety

By kaushik bhandaryPublished 2 years ago 5 min read

Introduction

Anxiety is a normal part of life, but it can be debilitating if you have anxiety. It's important to understand that anxiety isn't your fault—and that there are steps you can take to help your friend cope with their symptoms. Here are some tips for how best to support someone with anxiety:

Acknowledge their feelings.

Acknowledge their feelings.

It's important to let them know you're there for them, and that you care. There's no need to tell them what they should be feeling or how they should react—that will only make things worse for both of you. Instead, simply acknowledge the feelings that are present in your friend right now: "I can see how nervous this is making you." Or "I think it would be good if we had some time alone together so we could talk about this."

Don't try to fix the problem.

This is something else that might seem counterintuitive at first glance: Don't try and fix anything! You'll probably want to offer solutions like "just relax," but these kinds of suggestions will only make things worse when used as an advice-giving tactic because they imply that whatever caused anxiety was somehow fixable (which isn't necessarily true). Instead, focus on listening with an open mind about what exactly caused their anxiety so that together we can figure out how best support each other through this difficult time period; our goal isn't just getting rid of anxiety but also learning how best cope with its presence in our lives moving forward!

Offer quiet support.

Be a good listener.

Don't interrupt them, even if they are talking about something that isn't relevant to you or your concerns.

Let them know you are there for them and will listen as best as possible without making any judgements or assumptions about their thoughts or feelings

Avoid being a Debbie Downer.

It's important to remember that you can't make someone feel better. You can only help them to understand and cope with their anxiety, which is different from making them feel better.

It is also important not to be negative about their anxiety. Don't tell them "I am so much better than this," or "Just get over it," or any other negative statements about their condition (e.g., "You shouldn't be feeling like this"). These kinds of comments will only make things worse for both yourself and the person with whom you're talking about this issue—and potentially alienate him/her further from social support networks that may offer assistance in coping with these issues

Give them space to open up.

  • Don't force the issue.
  • Be patient and know that you need to give your friend time to open up about their feelings, without being too pushy or nagging them.
  • Ask them how they are feeling, if they need help, or if there's anything else you can do for them from a distance (e.g., send encouraging text messages).

Help them find professional help.

  • Help them find professional help.

If you’re a friend or family member, it can be hard to know when to say something, especially if they are experiencing symptoms of anxiety. You may feel like you want to tell your loved one how they look and how they seem when they talk about their anxiety—but this could actually be setting them up for more problems down the road! Instead of focusing on what others might see as negative traits in themselves (such as being anxious), try giving them some more positive feedback about their behavior instead: “I noticed that when we were at dinner together last night, you didn't eat much food because of how nervous I thought things were going with us talking over dinner." Or "When I saw how upset my brother was after he came home from work today...there wasn't anything wrong with him!" These kinds of comments will help put things in perspective for both parties involved--telling someone that their behavior isn't problematic doesn't mean there's anything wrong with them either!

Make sure they're sleeping well.

It’s important to keep in mind that sleep is a key factor when it comes to emotional well-being. Sleep helps your body regulate cortisol levels, which can help you feel more relaxed and happy. When you don’t get enough sleep, it may also cause your brain chemistry to become unbalanced, which makes it harder for you to cope with stressors and all the things that come with them.

If someone with anxiety is feeling overwhelmed by what's going on in their life, try suggesting that they make an appointment with their doctor so they can talk about treatment options for getting better quality rest (including medication).

Encourage exercise and outdoor time.

If you've ever seen the movie "Annie Hall," you know that Woody Allen once said, "A woman's gotta have some hobbies." Well, when your friend has anxiety problems, it's important to encourage them to do things that are relaxing and fun.

In addition to providing emotional support, you can also help your loved one by encouraging them to exercise or go outside more often. Allowing yourself some time away from the computer or phone can be incredibly helpful in reducing stress levels—and exercise is a great way for people with anxiety disorders (or anyone who wants better physical health) because there's evidence that regular physical activity reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline while increasing serotonin levels among other positive effects on moods overall.

For more information, go to:- treatment for anxiety at mumbai.

Challenge anxious thoughts, gently.

  • Challenge anxious thoughts.
  • The first step to helping a loved one with anxiety is to challenge their anxious thoughts, gently. This can be done by asking questions or making statements that get at the root of the issue and help them see it in a different light. For example: “I'm so glad you're having fun on your date tonight! You never know how great things will turn out until they happen."
  • Be aware of how you feel when someone else around you experiences anxiety—whether it's your friend or family member and try not to take that personally; instead, consider what might be causing their behavior (e.g., being tired from work) as opposed to attributing it solely onto themselves as an individual who has nothing positive going on in his/her life currently

Don't panic, but do help your friend seek treatment for their anxiety.

Don't panic, but do help your friend seek treatment for their anxiety.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the situation and don't know how to help them, try to keep your emotions in check. You may feel like taking action is the only thing you can do at this point—but remember that there are other options available if they don't want your assistance: counseling or therapy (which could include medication if necessary), support groups and self-help websites like [this one](http://www.anxietyhelpguide.org/self-help). If it's not something that interests them at all, don't push it; there are plenty of other resources out there just waiting for people like yourself who might want some extra guidance when things get tough!

Conclusion

If you are worried about someone you know with anxiety, don’t panic! Anxiety can be a difficult, but manageable, condition. You can help them work through their feelings by being supportive and understanding. If you need to get in touch with someone for professional treatment, there are many resources available to help you.

anxiety

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    KBWritten by kaushik bhandary

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