If you love someone who has an anxiety disorder, there are a lot of ways that you can support them.<\/p>\n
First step\u2014just learn more about the condition. Read stories from other people who have had that diagnosis or a similar one. Sometimes the best way to really understand is to hear a moving story from someone in their own words.<\/p>\n
Understand there\u2019s a difference between stress and an anxiety disorder. We are all stressed about life sometimes. People with anxiety disorders are trapped inside their own heads. Making people feel weak because their brains work a different way however is just not helpful. You may think you\u2019re giving \u201ctough love\u201d to somebody, but you\u2019re probably making them feel worse.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t demand that they follow specific treatment plans. If you had anxiety and found a certain type of medication or a particular therapist helpful, that\u2019s great! You should absolutely share that information with a friend to be helpful. But don\u2019t preach your way as the only possible way, since that\u2019s between your loved one and their treatment team. There are many evidence-based treatments out there, and recovery is highly personal.<\/p>\n
Ask the person you care about how they want you to respond to their anxiety. Some people want external help with\u00a0managing\u00a0their anxiety by having friends reassure\u00a0them that everything is\u00a0okay, or receiving extra support during stressful situations. Or they might find physical touch comforting. Other people may prefer that you ignore them and let them handle the anxiety on their own because the attention actually worsens the anxiety. Have an open conversation when somebody isn\u2019t in the midst of a crisis. \u201cHey, I want to talk to you about something. When you\u2019re feeling this way, how can I best support you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Pick good times to have conversations. Yelling at someone who\u2019s in the middle of a panic attack for ruining a special event is not going to help anyone. Having a conversation after the fact about how you can help is a much better approach.<\/p>\n
Try and compromise when it comes to different situations, especially if you\u2019re with someone who has a phobia or social anxiety. For example, your boyfriend has social anxiety disorder and doesn\u2019t do well at family holidays like Thanksgiving where he\u2019s surrounded by extended family who is constantly asking him what he does for a living. You can work out in advance how you\u2019re going to handle that situation\u2014maybe you show up earlier than he does, or he can give a signal, or help him find a place to take a break and calm down when things get rough.<\/p>\n
Please note that the important thing here is compromise. You should not have to feel like you\u2019re giving up your whole life to support someone with anxiety. You are allowed to have and set boundaries of what you will and will not accept in your life, too. If you\u2019re an extrovert who really values social events and needs to be around people, but your boyfriend won\u2019t leave the house, you shouldn\u2019t feel obligated to stay with someone who completely prevents you from doing what you love.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t be trapped by someone\u2019s anxiety. You shouldn\u2019t feel like you are walking on eggshells or tiptoeing around someone\u2019s feelings. It\u2019s not fair for someone to expect you to cater to every emotion, regardless of whether they have a mental health diagnosis or not!<\/p>\n
Finally, just treat them like a real person. They aren\u2019t their disorder; that\u2019s just something they have. You can\u2014gently\u2014call someone out on behavior, even if they have a diagnosis.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If you love someone who has an anxiety disorder, there are a lot of ways that you can support them. First step\u2014just learn more about the condition. Read stories from other people who have had that diagnosis or a similar one. Sometimes the best way to really understand is to hear a moving story from … <\/p>\n