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Who Do You Talk To About Anxiety

Offer Support But Dont Take Over

How to stop feeling anxious about anxiety | Tim Box | TEDxFolkestone

Avoidance is a core feature of anxiety, so sometimes we may feel pulled to help out by doing things for our avoidant loved ones and inadvertently feed their avoidance. For instance, if your anxious roommate finds making phone calls incredibly stressful and you end up doing this for them, they never push through their avoidance.

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A good general principle to keep in mind is that support means helping someone to help themselves, not doing things for them, which includes virtually anything that stops short of actually doing it yourself. For example, you might offer to attend a first therapy session with your loved one if they set up the appointment. Or, if theyre not sure how to choose a therapist, you might brainstorm ways of doing that, but let them choose.

An exception might be when someones anxiety is accompanied by severe depression. If they cant get themselves out of bed, they may be so shut down that they temporarily need people to do whatever is needed to help them stay alive. Also, sometimes loved ones are so gripped by an anxiety disorder that theyre in pure survival mode and need more hands-on help to get things done. In less extreme circumstances, however, its best to offer support without taking over or overdoing the reassurance.

Who Can I Talk To About My Anxiety

When youre experiencing an anxiety disorder, its easy to feel alone. It might feel like no one understands what youre going through. You might not even fully understand it yourself! Reaching out can be scary, but theres no need to suffer through anxiety on your own.

Right now, hundreds of millions of people all over the world also live with anxietyor have experienced it in the past. It might surprise you how many of those are people you already know. Many more are willing to listen or want to understand.

There will be some people who just wont get it, but its not your job to convince themjust keep trying to find a support system that works for you. The suggestions below are just that: suggestions. Start with whichever option is most comfortable for you right now. You can always open up to more people later on.

How Do I Ask My Doctor For Anxiety Medication

Is excessive fear, worry, or anxiety affecting your daily life? You are likely suffering from an anxiety disorder.

Help is out there. Many people are relieved to learn that you dont need to see an expensive psychiatrist to receive mental health help.

Primary care doctors are able to treat many common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Initiating a conversation about starting anxiety medication can be nerve-wracking, but theres no need to be intimidated. Remember the doctor is there to help you.

In this article well go over how to ask your doctor for anti-anxiety medication so you can feel prepared to get the help you need.

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Help Others With Their Anxiety

Here are a few things you can do to help someone who is overwhelmed or anxious:

1)Listen to them. Just listen to everything they have to say because this may help relieve some of that stress/anxiety.

2) After listening, do not try and compare how stressful your life is to theirs. This is creating a competition and you do not want that. Just listen and be respectful.

3) Reassure them that the situation will pass. I like to say something like you have survived 100% of the hardships in your life. You will get through this. Often times, saying this will even calm yourself down quite a bit. Its a win-win.

4) Introduce them to meditation. This one is pretty self explanatory. Check out my guide on how to get started

5) Offer to go on a walk with them and show them how exercise is an amazing way to reduce these feelings. When nothing else works, I go for a very long walk. The more rigorous the exercise, the better you will feel afterwards.

6) If they are really struggling, support them to seek professional help. Seeking help is one of the bravest things anyone can do and it is worth it. Online-Therapy and Talkspace are always great choices. Betterhelp is another service that is well worth it as well.

7) Help them identify triggers or identify what is causing so much stress. Let them talk through it because they may realize that its not as bad as their mind is making it out to be.

Coping Support And Resources

How Do You Reduce Stress

In addition to your prescribed treatment, you may want to join a support group. It can be very helpful to talk with other people who are experiencing symptoms similar to yours. Its good to know that you are not alone. Someone else with similar symptoms can understand what youre going through and offer support and encouragement. Being part of a group can also help you develop new social skills.

Your community will likely have several support groups, either for your specific disorder or for anxiety in general. Check with your medical professionals to learn what resources are available in your area. You might ask your:

  • mental health provider
  • primary doctor
  • county mental health services agency

You can also participate in support groups online. This may be a good way to start if you have social anxiety disorder or feel uncomfortable in a face-to-face group setting.

Treatment of diagnosed anxiety is often multi-disciplinary. This means you may see one or all of the following medical practitioners:

  • primary care physician

Recommended Reading: How Can You Help Someone With Social Anxiety

Social Skills Training Tips

Many people with SAD have avoided talking to others for most of their lives. Even when they are finally able to control their anxiety, they will often have no idea how to start a conversation, read body language, or identify social cues.

There are some tips that may help. The aim is to teach you that communication is about more than just speaking. Like any new experience, there may be stress and the occasional gaffe when you first start, and it’s important to recognize that this is normal. By merely being present, things will improve, sometimes invisibly, as you become more accustomed to social situations.

Below are a variety of techniques to try that can help.

Talking To Your Child Or Teen About Anxiety

Children and teens often dont recognize their anxiety for what it is. Instead, they may think there is something wrong with them. Children may focus on the physical symptoms of anxiety . Teens may think they are weird, weak, out of control, or even going crazy! These thoughts might make them feel even more anxious and self-conscious. Therefore, the first step is to teach your child about anxiety and how to recognize it. Self-awareness is essential!

On this page:

The facts

Myth: Talking to your child about anxiety will make them even MORE anxious.

Fact: Providing accurate information about anxiety can reduce confusion or shame. Explain that anxiety is a common and normal experience, and it can be managed successfully! Once your child understands this, he or she will feel more motivated to make life easier.

There are three steps to introducing the topic of anxiety to your child:

  • Step 1: Encouraging your child to open up about any fears and worries
  • Step 2: Teaching your child about anxiety
  • Step 3: Helping your child recognize anxiety

Read Also: What Does Anxiety Feel Like Mentally

Quick Read Anxiety Support 101

  • Theres a difference between normal, everyday anxiety and having an anxiety disorder.
  • If an anxious friend decides to confide in you, show you support them.
  • Validate, rather than minimize, their experience.
  • If you dont have an anxiety disorder, avoid offering advice without listening to your friend.
  • Tell them youre there for them, ask how you can help and listen to what they have to say.

Its never not awkward telling someone I have anxiety disorders. And Ive had to tell a lot of people: friends, family, supervisors, dates.

Opening up to others can be validating and freeing, but its always stressful at first because I dont know how theyll respond. Being stereotyped or treated insensitively when youre struggling can be nerve-wracking, especially if you already get down on yourself for having anxiety.

What Ive learned in my many years of coming clean is that most people mean well. They dont want to say the wrong thing, but it can be hard for them to know the right thing to say if they dont know much about anxiety.

While everyone experiences anxiety, people experience differing degrees of severity, says Ty Lostutter, a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety and treats patients at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance at South Lake Union.

Anxiety is normal and healthy. It keeps us safe and motivates us, Lostutter says. It only becomes a problem when someone becomes overly anxious and it interferes with daily life.

How Is Gad Treated

3 Ways to Overcome Anxiety | Olivia Remes | TEDxKlagenfurt

First, talk to your doctor about your symptoms. Your doctor should do an exam and ask you about your health history to make sure that an unrelated physical problem is not causing your symptoms. Your doctor may refer to you a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist.

GAD is generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment for you.

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Do You Need To See A Gp

If you’ve noticed changes in the way you are thinking or feeling over the past few weeks or months that concern you and cause you distress, you should consider going to see your GP.

Some of the most frequently experienced symptoms of poor mental wellbeing include:

  • loss of apetite
  • feeling low or constantly anxious or worrying
  • thinking negative thoughts about yourself
  • irritability or moodiness
  • finding it harder than usual to concentrate
  • not enjoying your life as much as you once did
  • finding day-to-day life difficult
  • trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much
  • seeing or hearing things that other people do not see or hear.

If you have a mental health problem, it’s possible that you may not have noticed the signs, as symptoms can build gradually over time. 1 in 6 people will experience mental health problems every week.

Symptoms of common mental health problems

If you recognise symptoms of any common mental health problem and are worried, or if you feel that something isn’t right but you can’t put your finger on why, we recommend that you speak to your GP.

It can be daunting to speak to someone that you may not know well about your mental health, but most people find that speaking to their GP and the help and support they receive from them, can make all the difference to their lives.

‘My GP has been absolutely amazing. He has been relentless in getting me help from every source possible. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for him.’ – Jackie

When Should I Go To The Emergency Room For An Anxiety Disorder

Symptoms of an anxiety disorder can resemble symptoms of a heart attack or another health emergency. If youre experiencing an anxiety attack for the first time, or youre concerned in any way about your health, call 911 or head to the nearest ER. A healthcare provider will check you for serious or life-threatening conditions.

If youre having an anxiety attack and unsure whether you should head to an ER or not, its better to go. Healthcare professionals can make sure youre OK and give you any necessary treatment.

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You Have Anxiety About More Than One Area Of Your Life

In the DSM-5, generalized anxiety disorder is linked with excessive worry about multiple events or activities, including your career, school performance and interpersonal relationships. You might feel anxious about routine life circumstances, like job responsibilities, your health and your familys finances, too.

How To Prepare For Your Appointment

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You must be registered with a local practice to make an appointment. It’s easy and quick to register with a practice of your choice in your catchment area , and see any of their GPs.

Finding the best GP for you

You can change GPs whenever you want. You may wish to consider changing GP for the following reasons:

  • It may be more convenient to find a practice that offers specialised counselling or mental health services. You can phone the practice to ask what they offer or find information for English practices on the NHS Choices website.
  • If you feel that you have a bad relationship with your practice or do not get on with your GP, you may wish to look for other practices in your area which offer a better or friendlier service. England’s NHS Choices website lists customer reviews and provides a patient survey score for each practice. The ‘Quality Practice Award’ is only given to the very best practices in England, while all practices must have ‘Practice Accreditation’.

You can ask the receptionist if there is a GP with a specialist interest in mental health and request to see them. It is possible to see a male or female GP. You do not need to tell the receptionist why you are making an appointment. You can just say you’d prefer not to say.

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Ask Why They Recommend A Specific Medication And If Other Options Are Available

Some doctors may have a specific medication they start most of their anxiety patients on because they feel it has the highest effectiveness with the fewest side effects.

Other doctors may take a variety of factors into consideration before recommending a specific medication.

Always ask your doctor why they recommend the medication they did and if other options might be more appropriate for you.

Get A Hug From A Loved One

Physical touch can do a lot to relieve your stress. Hugging a loved one can be especially beneficial.

When you hug someone, oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is associated with higher levels of happiness and lower levels of stress.

Oxytocin also causes a reduction in blood pressure. It reduces the stress hormone norepinephrine and can produce a sense of relaxation.

So dont be afraid to ask a loved one for a hug if you need it. Its good for both of you and it can be one of the simplest forms of stress relief available.

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Read Also: How Does Anxiety Medicine Work

How To Know If You Have Anxiety

Its that sinking in your stomach that feels like a heavyweight, the endless circle of troublesome thoughts and not forgetting that super-fast pumping heart rate. Perhaps this sounds all too familiar, extreme anxiety symptoms arent just present in our minds, but also show physical signs and can take their toll on your general health.

At some point or another, everyone experiences high anxiety symptoms in their lifetime. In fact, to some degree, its an expected and usual response to events such as changing jobs, moving house, or financial difficulties. If youre wondering how common it is, the World Health Organization estimates one in every 13 people worldwide experience anxiety. Its often explained as worrying about something that has not occurred yet, or something which may never happen, whereas depression is often linked to past events . The two are very different conditions and often overlap.

When anxiety symptoms start to take over and impact your day-to-day living, it could be symptomatic of an anxiety disorder. Its a good idea to understand your symptoms and where they are coming from so you can get on top of it. Anxiety can manifest itself in many different ways, but keep your eyes peeled for these six key signs.

Sleep Disturbances And Fatigue

Irritability And Agitation

Social Avoidance

Muscle Tension

Panic Attacks

A Foggy Mind

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