title: Supporting Someone with Anxiety: Strategies and Tactics to Avoid
Helping someone struggling with anxiety can be challenging, but offering them support and understanding can significantly impact their long-term mental health and well-being. If you're not sure how to assist someone with anxiety, consider these tips.
Mental Health First Aid USA suggests the following strategies for supporting someone with anxiety:
- Treat the person with respect and dignity: Recognize their independence while providing assistance when needed.
- Offer consistent emotional support: Be patient, empathetic, and understanding. Avoid pushing them to say or do anything they're uncomfortable with.
- Provide practical help: Offer assistance with daily tasks, but avoid taking over or encouraging dependence.
- Offer hope for recovery: Let them know that recovery is possible with time and treatment.
- Share relevant resources: Ask if they'd like more information on anxiety and its treatments and offer appropriate resources.
During an anxiety attack, the National Alliance on Mental Illness recommends:
- Avoid assumptions: Ask if they've had this before and if they think they're having an anxiety attack. If so, ask if they'd like help.
- Give clear reassurance: Speak calmly, reassure them, and acknowledge their fear.
- Ask about medication: Ask if they take medication for their symptoms and if they need help retrieving or taking it.
- Guide their breathing: Encourage slow, deep breaths to help them regain control.
- Use grounding techniques: Introduce mindfulness or grounding techniques to help them focus and relax.
Some helps to avoid when supporting someone with anxiety are:
- Pressuring the person: Don't push them into uncomfortable situations, as this may worsen their anxiety.
- Making assumptions: Avoid assuming you know the cause or best solution to their anxiety.
- Losing patience: Be patient and let the other person set their own pace.
- Consulting a doctor for someone else: You cannot give medical advice, so discourage self-diagnosis and urge them to seek professional help if needed.
- Neglecting your own health: Don't forget to take care of yourself while supporting someone with anxiety.
Signs indicating they may need professional help include:
- Severe or frequent episodes of anxiety
- Significant impairments in their daily life, personal relationships, performance at work or school, or engagement in hobbies
- Anxiety attacks or physical symptoms
- Anxiety stopping them from doing desired activities or making important decisions
- Fear preventing them from making life choices
If you're concerned about someone's mental health, don't shy away from offering support. Listen, reassure, and encourage them to seek professional help if needed. Your kindness and understanding can make a real difference in their journey towards recovery.
During an moments of panic attack, it's crucial to avoid pushing them into discussing or performing anything they find uncomfortable, as this could exacerbate their anxiety. Regularly experiencing overwhelming episodes of anxiety might indicate a need for professional help, including significant impairments in their daily life or personal relationships.
