Some ways to help a person with anxiety include encouraging a healthy lifestyle, providing emotional support, and offering professional treatment options, such as cognitive behavioral therapy or, in cases of significant severity, prescription medications. We live in a world full of tensions and permanent demands in which the ideals presented to us may be difficult to achieve depending on the circumstances we are experiencing. Sometimes, personal problems seep into the development of our daily lives and this can cause unfavorable consequences.
In this sense, there may be people who have greater difficulties in coping with situations that involve certain obstacles for themselves. In this Psychology-Online article we will provide you with information about how to help a person with anxiety.
Give you a space to talk
On many occasions, anxiety appears when the person has not been able to express some worry, anger and/or displeasure that they have had at some point in their life. In this way, behaviors linked to irritability usually manifest themselves because of something that has not been said.
In this sense, providing people with anxiety with a space so they can talk about what is happening to them. can bring relief and a decrease in bodily sensations that arise with anxiety. In the following article you will find information about.
Accompany her in physical activity
As we have said previously, anxiety is felt in the body since it is common to feel muscle tension. For this reason, it is important to have some type of tool that allows reducing the characteristic rigidity. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to do physical activity.
These types of activities reduce stress levels because serotonin, better known as the happiness hormone, is released. Therefore, one of the tips on how to help someone with anxiety is to accompany them when doing some physical activity.
Inform her about relaxation techniques
Sometimes anxiety is linked to difficulties related to the past or future. Relaxation techniques have as their main purpose achieve a state of tranquility both physically and mentally that aims to be in the present moment.
In other words, the objective consists of focusing on the moment you are living, leaving aside concerns about both the previous moment and hypothetical situations linked to the future. There are effective techniques such as , which consists of a guided meditation in which emphasis is placed on breathing and visualization of more comforting situations.
Encourage her to write
First of all, when a person has anxiety, they usually get involved in situations that cause them discomfort. A form of channel worries A more efficient way is to write somewhere about those circumstances that cause worry, anger, anguish and/or sadness.
When we write something personal, we try to deposit our internal feelings somewhere external. In other words, writing is synonymous with putting out internal aspects. Therefore, if you want to help a person with anxiety, you can try to encourage them to do this very therapeutic activity.
Check out the most effective ones in this post.
Help her identify situations
Another way to know how to help someone with anxiety and depression may be to help them identify situations. This is because anxiety can lead to behaviors that have a negative impact on a person’s life. However, when we become aware of situations that are the source of nervousness and anxiety, this may allow other decisions to be made at certain times. In this way, it is possible to reduce anxiety by identifying the situations that generate it.
Suggest going to psychological therapy
Psychological therapy is one of the most effective ways to help people with anxiety cope with the symptoms caused by this disorder and the situations that cause anxiety in a more enjoyable way. Furthermore, in the tools to deal with situations based on the analysis of one’s own behaviors, emotions and thoughts.
However, it is important to emphasize the fact of not imposing therapy as an obligation since there must be the will or intention of wanting to reduce anxiety. Otherwise, this can lead to a greater degree of anxiety on the part of the person.
Help her accept situations
If you are wondering how you can help a person with anxiety, you can help them accept certain situations. And when a person is anxious, there is a tendency to deny situations. In this way, it is common for anxiety to arise as a mechanism of action due to not accepting certain situations from the past, present and future.
However, when the person can accept the reality that various events imply, this results in a decrease in anxiety levels and it is possible to face situations with other intentions.
Talk to you about sleep and eating regulation
Anxiety has a direct relationship with certain hormones that manifest in the body. This means that it cannot be ignored that anxiety has a physical connotation beyond the psychological aspects at play. Both sleep and nutrition represent a fundamental role in stress levels and/or anxiety that a person experiences in their daily life.
At a general level, it usually happens that there is a deregulation in these areas when anxiety is present. Due to these circumstances, establishing routines for eating and sleeping allows for some stabilization. Here we explain.
Encourage her to spend leisure time
To help a person with anxiety, it is essential to know that moments of distraction are essential so that the person can perform well in the different activities they do. If someone experiences moments of intense anxiety, an efficient alternative is to have leisure time that allows them to distract yourself from those worries anxiety generators.
In general terms, this provides beneficial effects for both physical and mental health since the tension that is triggered by anxiety is reduced.
Help her question her thoughts
As we have already said, one of the ways anxiety appears occurs through . In this sense, questioning the ideas that fuel anxiety can lower their intensity since the meaning of the thoughts begins to decline.
Given this, asking questions about the anxiety you suffer allows to reduce tensions involved since various solutions may arise to the problems that arise.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Navas Orozco, W., Vargas Baldares, MJ (2012). Anxiety disorders: targeted review for primary care. Medical Journal of Costa Rica and Central America, 59 (604), 497-507.
- Sierra, JC, Ortega, V., Zubeidat, I. (2003). Anxiety, anguish and stress: three concepts to differentiate. Mal-estar E Subjecttividade Magazine, 3 (1), 10-59.