5 Ways to Help a Friend Struggling with Anxiety
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in the world. As such, it’s likely that you know someone dealing with it right now. Maybe the signs are obvious, or maybe they’ve been subtle until recently.
But having a friend who is struggling with anxiety can make you feel helpless. You might not know how to help or what you can do to make their symptoms seem less overwhelming.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to make a difference. While you can’t take away their anxiety, you can be a support system for them, making it easier for them to manage their anxious thoughts on a daily basis.
Let’s take a look at five ways you can help a friend struggling with anxiety.
1. Educate Yourself
Again, anxiety is a prominent mental health condition. But it’s different for everyone. One of the best things you can do to help a loved one deal with it is to educate yourself. Do some research on what anxiety feels like, as well as some common symptoms.
Then, don’t hesitate to talk to your friend about how they feel. Allowing them to open up about their anxiety will let them know they’re not alone and they can rely on you when they need support.
2. Don’t Try to Fix Them
As much as you don’t want your friend to suffer, you can’t fix their anxiety. Everyone is responsible for their own mental health. In fact, friendships and relationships can become strained and unhealthy if one person tries to fix the other.
Rather than trying to fix them, offer your presence and support. If they ask for your advice, gently challenge any negative thought patterns you witness. Remind them that when they feared the worst, the worst didn’t happen. Help them imagine the best-case scenario as a way to mitigate catastrophizing.
3. Validate Their Feelings
Additionally, make sure you validate their feelings. Anxiety is an excellent liar, but it doesn’t mean what your friend is feeling isn’t real. Belittling their anxious thoughts can make matters worse and make them feel like they don’t have any support.
Instead, if they’re willing to open up about their feelings, ask how you can help. Do what you can to let them know those feelings are valid, and ask questions so you can understand more.
4. Show Your Concern
You don’t have to hide that you’re worried about your friend. If you notice them dealing with symptoms of anxiety, approach them about it. You don’t have to force them to talk. But let them know you’re there and can listen whenever they are ready to open up.
For someone struggling with anxiety, that simple gesture can go a long way. Sometimes, being able to talk about anxious thoughts and feelings openly can make a big difference.
5. Encourage Them to Get Help
If anxiety has a silver lining, it’s that it can be a very manageable mental health condition. But, it’s not something that goes away on its own, and it can be very difficult to “deal with” on your own.
While having a strong support system is often a big help for people with anxiety, the best thing they can do is to reach out and I can help them through therapy.
As a friend, encourage the person you care about to get the help they deserve. Help them research therapists and how therapy can help. Consider going with them to appointments if they’re comfortable with it, even if that means sitting in the waiting room for support.
It’s not easy to see a close friend struggle with anxiety. But they aren’t powerless, and neither are you. Try some of these suggestions to help a friend, and you could end up making a huge difference in their life.