My anxiety comes in the form of like just overthinking something and ending up crying about it or just like fretting about it to the point that I cannot function. And what helps me is when me and my partner discuss it, I had told him that what helps me is just hug me. Let me do my thing, whatever it is, but a hug is all it takes for my situation. So if you suffer from anxiety, that just physically human touch may also help you get out of it.
A great way to support someone who has anxiety is to respect what they feel comfortable with. If you know they don't like to play games, don't push them to play games. Or if you're in a setting where somebody's pushing them to do something more because they think, oh, they just don't want to do that, have their back and make sure that you stand up for them and say, let's do something different that would be more comfortable for everyone. Or if you know that sitting in a circle in a class is difficult because it feels like there's a lot of pressure for individuals to look at each other, suggest, hey, let's organize our chairs a little bit differently. Let's all look forward at the instructor or the teacher that day. If you have control of those situations where you can be a support to someone you know that has an anxiety, it will go a long way in helping them feel comfortable and supported by those that care about them.
For me, one of the best ways that supported me when I had anxiety was that my friend would always stay there and just listen for me, just like let me talk about what made me feel anxiety, what made me fear, and just having someone right by you that is willing to listen to you, that just gave me comfort. It just gave me comfort that, oh, my friend understands my situation and how it made me feel like that. And that just gave me a warm feeling to me. And just know that there will always be someone that will listen to you when you're struggling too.
I've had limited personal experience with anxiety but I have gone through it and it helped me understand a little bit more what kind of help or support an individual might need and I have friends and family experiencing anxiety and I think one of the most important things is being that family member or friend who's willing to help a individual recognize if they're experiencing anxiety and they don't recognize it. I've had that conversation with plenty of friends and it's helped open their eyes a little bit that maybe they were dealing with anxiety and one in particular decided to talk to her doctor about it and get some support there. Others recognize it and find other coping mechanisms to push through it or look for opportunities to take a medication or a supplement but just having friends that are willing to talk to you about it is helpful.
How you can support is help them, don't hinder. Be a listening ear for them. You can't push someone to talk about the situation, especially if they're not ready. A lot of times, especially with me, the more you push, the more I'll resist and a lot of times I feel they may actually start to withdraw from you, whether they mean it or not, but you can't pressure someone with anxiety and I know that for myself, because the more pressure you put on them, the more it's gonna make them want to turn to you less and less. So definitely be patient with them. Talk with them through the anxiety. Be there.
I think the best way to support someone who has anxiety is just to be a good friend. Ask them if they want to talk about it and if not, just that's okay. Still be kind to them and don't criticize them for the way that they think and react. At least for me, it helps me to talk through things when I get really worked up and maybe have an anxiety attack. I need to talk through someone who is level-headed. I think just like the validation that I get from someone else really helps. So I think just being there to support in whatever way a person needs.
One thing that I would just say, having suffered from anxiety my whole life, if someone is really just in the thick of it, kind of all over the place, freaking out, don't ever try to match their energy. It's hard, especially when it's a family member. You might get really frustrated with them, but you have to be the calm one, or else it'll only escalate and it won't help the situation.
In my experience, what people have done to really help me when I'm having like a panic attack is people just being there, you know, giving me my space but letting me know that they're there, maybe just sitting next to me, putting their arm around me, kind of just helping me get through it because there's not an immediate fix, it's just something that happens. And so just being there and letting them know that you care is probably one of the best ways to help.
I just need someone to just be there for me, not really talk or be like, what's wrong, tell me this, but just kind of like sit there with me and be patient with me. And so I try and do the same for others just to like be in their presence to let them know like, hey, someone's here for you, but don't pressure them to like talk or anything like that. I found that to be the most helpful for me.