Has somebody close to you recently been diagnosed with anxiety? It might’ve come as a shock, or you may have always seen the symptoms, but of course, it’s still not easy to hear that a loved one is experiencing an anxiety disorder.
However, what you need to remember at this moment is that regardless of how you feel, it’s important to focus on the loved one’s feelings instead. The fact that they’ve opened up about something so personal to you means that they expect you to help them get better.
Here’s what you need to know about supporting loved ones with anxiety.
Don’t Invalidate the Way They Feel
The one thing you should absolutely refrain from is invalidating their feeling by telling them to calm down, or telling them that whatever they’re feeling isn’t true, or that their anxiety is baseless.
If they are experiencing an anxiety disorder, it’s very likely that most of the time, you will not understand how they feel or why they feel the way they do; however, you have to stay patient and tell them that it’s okay not to be okay. Remember that they can’t just turn off their feeling when you tell them to, and if you ask this of them, they will just feel invalidated and misunderstood.
Don’t Enable Their Anxiety Unintentionally
Validating their feelings is important, and being there for them is also essential; however, you shouldn’t enable their anxiety. When someone around you has an anxiety disorder, a common course of action is to help them avoid situations that could trigger their anxiety.
However, this doesn’t always help, and in the long run, it might just make their anxiety worse. If they continue to avoid difficult circumstances, and if you continue to alter your behavior and environment to accommodate them, your loved one’s anxiety will get worse because they won’t get a chance to overcome their fears.
Help Them Find the Help They Need
When someone tells you they have anxiety, you need to immediately tell yourself that you’re no certified therapist and you’re not fit to counsel them, and so on. You have to be there for them, of course, but you can’t possibly identify and know all their triggers.
In this situation, the best help from your end is to help them find someone who’s qualified and trained to treat their anxiety.
If you’re not where to find help, reach out to our team at Blossom Hypnosis. We have a lot of experience treating anxiety in Pittsford, NY, and surrounding areas. We also know how to treat subconscious anxiety, as well as other mental health concerns.
Give us a call to learn more.
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