How To Support A Loved One With Anxiety
Do you always feel like something bad is going to happen? Or does your mind run to the worst possible scenario in any given situation? Are your mind and body filled with worry and panic for the most part? If you’re feeling any of these emotions or know someone who does, then most likely, they are suffering from an anxiety disorder. If you want to help them but are not sure of what to say or do, here’s Team Illuminations breaking it down for you.
How to Identify an Anxiety Disorder
Almost everyone has anxious and nervous feelings every once in a while. This helps motivate us, but when these anxious tendencies begin to take over a person’s mind, it becomes a much larger problem. You will see these feelings disturbing their daily life and invading all positive feelings. The way they perceive the trigger and their automotive physiological response of either fight or flight guide their anxiety. These symptoms go unnoticed because of the stigma associated with these illnesses. They are highly treatable but just 36.9% of the people who suffer from them get properly treated, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
If your family member, friend or colleague suffers from constant worrying, illogical thoughts or numerous panic attacks, then it’s time to address the situation. Sometimes these mental symptoms extend into physical manifestations such as sweating, nausea, hyperventilation, tightening of the chest, digestive problems, etc. Depression is seen quite commonly with anxiety disorders. They tend to avoid situations and reminders that trigger their panic. For example, a boyfriend who’s scared of commitment avoids having any ‘real conversation’ with his partner. What they don’t tend to realize is that anxiety is self-sustaining; anxiety leads to further anxious feelings and it keeps working in a cycle.
How to help your close ones battle anxiety
It is not only a challenging experience for the individual but also their close ones, so here are some things you could do:
1. Gain insights into why and what kind of anxiety they are suffering from.
There are many types of anxiety; social is when you are insecure about your social relationships and surroundings, obsessive compulsive disorder is when you focus on being a perfectionist on every task, to name a few. Look into their life and find out the root cause of where their panic starts. Understand the patterns they adopt and the mechanisms they have built. The more specific outline you draw, the better you will be able to be there for them. Break the belief that they are different from us of broken and de-stigmatize them.
2. Support them in ways they prefer.
Everyone deals with issues in their way; each person prefers to be loved and supported in a specific manner. Someone might like an explicit, all over the top version of support whilst some might prefer a more practical and less emotional approach. Considering they are a loved one, you will be able to intimately understand this as you know them well. You could also join a yoga class or exercise with them if they like these practices.
3. Educate yourself and encourage them to get the required treatment.
Now that you’ve understood their specific patterns of coping and their root causes, you could read about the treatments available and assist them in seeking help for the same. Hypnotherapy has proved to be a good method to instill calmness and peace in dealing with mental illnesses situations through positive suggestions in a hypnotic trance-like state.
4. Help them find reality in their unfounded worries.
Talk them through their worst-case scenario possibilities and reassure them that they will be able to cope with the same. Don’t assure them by saying it may never happen, just talk them through dealing with the situation when it does happen. You could also normalize any feelings they have that are common to you so that they do not feel isolated.
5. Make sure to not “excess” help.
Avoidance is almost present in all cases of anxiety and it might feel nice to help them out with these avoided tasks. However, help them by pushing them out of their avoidance into doing the tasks themselves. Setting limits on these emerging patterns is imperative.
6. Don’t overburden yourself.
As much as you love and want to help them, remember that there’s only so much you can do and you can’t expect to cure them. Seek help through alternative anxiety treatments such as hypnotherapy courses in Dubai from a professional at Illuminations, wellness-center in Dubai.
Of late, couple and family sessions for treatment is recommended. For hypnotherapy training, relationship counseling, energy healing, hypnotherapy courses, anxiety treatment, Dubai based wellness center, Illuminations has a variety of programs. You could avail these to help your loved ones overcome anxiety disorders and depression and the challenges it comes with. If you’re looking to fight these difficulties and regain control of your life, book a session or visit our website!
