Five ways to help someone with anxiety disorder

Experts agree that simply listening to your loved ones’ worries and offering moral support will go a long way.

You may not know the best way to help a family member or friend who suffers from an anxiety disorder. This is especially true if you worry that you might worsen their anxiety by saying or doing something.

You can relax:

 It’s possible that someone confided in you because they trusted you. Just by listening and sitting with your loved one, you can help them heal.

“Friends and Family are essential in helping someone with an anxiety disorder because they make them feel accepted and supported. They also reassure that they aren’t alone,” says Karol DARSA, PsyD, a trauma psychologist and founder of Reconnect Center in Los Angeles, a center for integrative trauma treatment.

This support is critical, as many people with anxiety don’t speak about it due to the stigma attached. This can lead them to feel isolated and ultimately increase their pressure.

“Anxiety can be treated, just like other illnesses. We risk further stigmatizing a person if we tell them that anxiety isn’t natural or that it shouldn’t be taken seriously. This could cause the individual to avoid seeking treatment.

Experts suggest that you support someone who has anxiety disorders.

1. Validate their feelings by letting them know it’s okay not to be okay.

Dr. Miller states that many people with anxiety tend to worry or fear the future or the past. These thought patterns can be challenging to change.

Miller says, “Don’t ignore the feelings of your loved ones no matter how little you understand them.” Miller advises, “Let them know it’s okay for them to feel whatever they feel.” Validate their feelings and validate them. “Being there is being there without judgment.”

2. Do not tell them to calm down.

Although it may seem like a harmless comment, telling someone who is experiencing anxiety to stop feeling the way they are feeling is not a good thing. The person you love may appear delicate, but they are likely to be experiencing anxiety-related distress, fear, and physical symptoms like sweating and racing heartbeats. These all seem very real to the individual, says Dr. Darsa.

Darsa says that if you say phrases such as ‘Stop Worrying,’ people may feel misunderstood and invalidated, which can have negative consequences. Feeling judged or invalidated may stop them from getting help and working on their anxiety issues.

You can say, “I am here to listen if you want to discuss what’s on your mind,” or, “I notice you are feeling anxious.” What can I help with right now?

3.Please encourage them to focus on things they can change.

People with anxiety often see minor problems as massive and even unsurmountable obstacles. Ignore their concerns. This will help them gain perspective and insight. While they might not be able to control the entire situation, they may have some control over certain aspects.

Miller suggests discussing what is controllable. Sometimes anxiety is caused by trying to control something that you can’t. This conversation will allow them to express their emotions and recognize what they can or cannot do.

4.Could you help them to Help Themselves?

To help a loved one with anxiety, you can educate yourself about practical coping skills and tools. Darsa suggests that you “encourage” them to use these tools when they feel anxious.

You can help them calm down when they feel anxious.

You could teach them “grounding” exercises to help them redirect their attention away from what is causing them anxiety and back to the present moment.

The University of Toledo Counseling Center suggests that you focus on your immediate environment (the room, for example) and then name the following:

• Five Things They See
• Four things that they feel.
• They can hear three things
• There are two things that you can smell
• What can they say that is positive about themselves?

You can also encourage them to use cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT, which mental health professionals administer with training, aims to help people change their negative thoughts and behaviors that can lead to anxiety.

CBT is a “research-based” treatment for anxiety disorders because of the many studies that show it to be effective. One study published in JAMA Psychiatry in November 2019 found that CBT reduced symptoms of social anxiety disorder, post-traumatic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. The reduction was still visible 12 months later.

5. Alcohol or drugs should not be used to cope with anxiety.

People with anxiety disorders often drink or use drugs to ease their symptoms or reduce their daily stresses. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that people with anxiety disorder are up to three times as likely to develop alcoholism or substance abuse disorders than the general public.

ADAA experts explain that people who suffer from social anxiety might turn to alcohol as they believe it will reduce their stress. Overdoing it can lead to severe mental conditions, such as alcohol abuse disorder.

Miller advises that if you are concerned about the alcohol or drug use of a loved one, you should let them know in a non-judgmental and gentle way what you have noticed.

He suggests that you “talk about (or not talk about) what is going on and listen.” “People want their voices to be heard, and this may lead to greater opportunities to deal with issues like alcoholism.”

Darsa adds, “If you see a loved one using drugs to cope with anxiety, encourage them to try healthier methods of coping, such as Mindfulness or Meditation. Exercise and other forms Self-Care are also helpful.”

If you see any signs of substance abuse disorders, Mayo Clinic suggests that the person seeks help from their doctor or mental health professionals.

• You feel that you have to take a substance to function.
• Problems at school or work
• A desire for a sense that is greater than all other thoughts
• You may have trouble quitting drinking or drug use
• You may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop using a substance
• You need to drink or use drugs more often to achieve the same effect