If an anxious friend decides to confide in you, show you support them. Validate, rather than minimize, their experience. If you don’t have an anxiety disorder, avoid offering advice without listening to your friend. Tell them you’re there for them, ask how you can help and listen to what they have to say.
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What’s the best thing to say to someone with anxiety?
“Do you want to do something to take your mind off of things?” It’s hard to know what to say to someone with anxiety, and chances are they probably don’t want to talk all the time. Instead, ask them if they would like to do a fun, healthy activity that you both enjoy to help them relax.
What should you not say to someone with anxiety?
What should you not say to someone with anxiety? “You’re an anxious person” “No one wants to be labeled for something that causes them immense stress and pain. “Why would you be anxious about that?” “This response implies that they should not be anxious and their response is unjustified. “Just don’t think about it” 5.
How do you talk to someone with anxiety down?
Help them to get comfortable (have them sit or lie down). Ask them to name five things they can see, hear, smell or feel. Reassure them that they’re experiencing panic and that it will go away. If the symptoms continue, become worse, or they don’t improve after 20–30 minutes, call 000.
What is the 3 3 3 rule for anxiety?
Follow the 3-3-3 rule.
Then, name three sounds you hear. Finally, move three parts of your body — your ankle, fingers, or arm. Whenever you feel your brain going 100 miles per hour, this mental trick can help center your mind, bringing you back to the present moment, Chansky says.
Do Hugs help anxiety attacks?
Hugs help reduce your fears
Scientists have found that touch can reduce anxiety in people with low self-esteem. Touch can also keep people from isolating themselves when reminded of their mortality.
How do you talk to someone with anxiety and depression?
6 ways to help a friend with depression or anxiety Learn about what your friend is going through. Be open and welcoming, and listen. Take their feelings seriously. Help them to find support. Continue supporting them and respond to emergencies. Celebrate their successes.
What triggers anxiety?
A big event or a buildup of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety — for example, a death in the family, work stress or ongoing worry about finances. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are.
How do you explain anxiety to someone you love?
Let us break down how to describe what anxiety feels like. It Can Feel Physically Suffocating. Things Can Feel Great One Day and Terrible the Next. The Desire to Numb or Escape It Can Be Incredibly Tempting. It Can Feel Just Like Depression. The Shame Often Feels Worse Than the Anxiety Itself. Final Thoughts.
Should you tell someone with anxiety to calm down?
Telling someone to “calm down” has never, ever made it happen. Those words are not magic and definitely not helpful. If the person experiencing anxiety had the ability to calm down in that moment, they’d absolutely do it. To someone with anxiety, this all-too-common phrase is patronizing and annoying.
What are 5 ways to deal with anxiety?
5 Ways to Cope With Anxiety Start with a ‘growth’ mindset. Some people have a fixed mindset. Notice what anxiety feels like for you. Get to know the body feelings that are part of anxiety. Take a few slow breaths. Talk yourself through it. Face the situation — don’t wait for anxiety to go away.
What do I do if my partner has severe anxiety?
7 Tips for Supporting a Romantic Partner with Anxiety Don’t try to fix them. Don’t try to explain to them why they shouldn’t be afraid of something. Be honest and set expectations. Be OK with the fact that happiness looks different for different people. Make them feel safe. Live your life.