Supporting a Loved One with Anxiety or Panic Attacks
It can be challenging to watch someone you care about grappling with anxiety or panic attacks, but your support can be invaluable. Here are some ways you can help:
Respect Their Pace
Avoid pushing your loved one to do more than they're comfortable with. Patience, understanding, and respecting their pace are crucial. Forcing them into situations before they feel ready could exacerbate their anxiety. Remember, they aren't choosing to feel this way.
Assisting During a Panic Attack
If a loved one experiences a panic attack, your calmness can make a big difference. Here are a few suggestions:
- Stay calm and reassure them that you're there for them.
- Encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply. Giving them a structured or repetitive task to focus on can help.
- Suggest they stamp their feet on the spot.
- Guide them to a quiet place where they can focus on their breath until they feel better.
Important: Do not encourage someone to breathe into a paper bag during a panic attack. This isn't recommended and might not be safe.
Seek to Understand
Learn about anxiety to better understand their struggle. Reading personal experiences of others with anxiety and listening to your loved one's own experiences can help you empathise with their situation.
Ask How You Can Assist
Your loved one might already have an idea of how you can best support them. By asking, you can help them feel more in control.
Encourage Them to Seek Help
If anxiety is becoming problematic for your friend or family member, encouraging them to seek professional help could be beneficial. You can offer assistance by:
- Helping them arrange a doctor's appointment, especially if they're uncomfortable leaving the house.
- Accompanying them to appointments for moral support.
- Aiding them in seeking help from a therapist.
- Helping them research different support options, such as community services or peer support groups.
Offer a Listening Ear
Simply listening can be incredibly supportive. When your loved one talks about their anxiety, give them your full attention without offering solutions unless they specifically ask. Validation of their feelings can make a world of difference.
Share Relaxation Techniques
Introduce them to relaxation methods such as deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or mindfulness meditation. These techniques can be helpful in managing anxiety. You can even try them together!
Encourage Physical Activity
Physical activities like walking, jogging, or yoga can help in reducing anxiety. Encourage your friend to find a form of exercise they enjoy. Sometimes, just a short walk in nature can be refreshing.
Be Consistent in Your Support
Consistency matters. Regularly check in on your friend, even if it's a quick text or call. Knowing someone is thinking of them can provide much-needed reassurance.