How to help a person with anxiety: 7 tips on what to do

Tips on how to help a person with anxiety attacks or other anxiety problems.

All or almost all of us have felt anxious at some point in our lives. So, we know that this state of discomfort, feeling uneasy, hyperarousal, and nervousness is highly punitive and aversive, and is usually something we do not want to experience.

However, getting out of a state of anxiety may not be as easy as it seems. In fact, it is a complicated thing, especially if what we get is an anxiety crisis. Let's imagine now that the person who suffers it is not us, but another person we care about. What can we do? How to help a person with anxiety? Let's talk about it throughout this article full of tips to keep in mind.

Anxiety: what is it?

In order to think about how to help a person with anxiety we must first know and understand the type of situation they are going through. And that is why a brief explanation of what anxiety is may be helpful.

We give the name of anxiety to a state of deep subjective discomfort of emotional origin, characterized by the presence of strong characterized by the presence of a strong negative affect together with a high level of activity or physiological activation, which in turn has an effect on behavior.

This state is usually defined as an apprehensive reaction that appears without the existence of a threatening situation at the present time, but which tends to be linked to the anticipation of a threatening situation. tends to be linked to the anticipation of a future threat or to an overflowing or inability to cope with the or inability to cope with environmental demands, although it is not always aware of its origin.

It is important to bear in mind that in anxiety there is an interaction between a subjective or cognitive-emotional component, which allows to perceive the emotions and the state of discomfort, a Biological or physiological component in which the emotional affectation generates a series of physical symptoms. generates a series of physical symptoms (the most common being palpitations, tachycardia and acceleration of the respiratory rhythm, although there may be others such as pain, dry mouth, sweating or tremors) and finally a behavioral component that includes the set of actions that are carried out in this state.

Anxiety crises

The existence of a certain level of stress and anxiety is common in our society, but the truth is that anxiety can often become so high that it can overwhelm us, sometimes even surprisingly and without prior warning. This is the case of what happens to us when we have an anxiety crisis.

In these crises there is a sudden onset of great discomfort and panic appears together with palpitations and tachycardia, sensation of suffocation and hyperventilation, abdominal or chest pain, dizziness, sweating, trembling, feeling of having a heart attack, dying, going crazy or losing control of the body.sweating, trembling, feeling of having a heart attack, dying, going crazy or losing control of one's own body.

It is also common to experience a feeling of strangeness and unreality, known as depersonalization.

Therefore, when helping a person with anxiety who is going through a stage with frequent crises, it is important to know that it is necessary to intervene both during these and when they are not occurring, to prevent them.

Anxiety and related disorders

Anxiety is not an uncommon emotion or reaction. In fact, most people have felt some degree of anxiety throughout their lives, and a high percentage of the world's population has lived or will live through a crisis of anxiety at some point in their lives.

This is not in itself pathologicalHowever, sometimes the persistence of anxiety or its repeated occurrence, whether or not it is linked to some type of situation or stimulation, can become a highly disabling disorder. In fact, the group of anxiety disorders is the most frequent type of disorder that exists, together with major depression.

There are many anxiety disorders, but probably the best known are panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.

In the first one, the subject suffers repeatedly several episodes of anxiety crises, which generates the appearance of anticipatory anxiety before the possible occurrence of a new crisis, which usually leads him to change his way of life and even to avoid exposing himself to usual situations in which he considers that he could experience them again. avoid being exposed to habitual situations in which he/she considers that he/she could experience them again..

In the disorder by generalized anxiety symptoms appear as restlessness, fatigue, irritability, tension, sleep problems and inability to relax derived from the existence of anxiety before worries on multiple aspects of the life or even before a non-specific and generalized worry continued.

In addition to these, other disorders such as phobias are also linked to anxiety, as well as other disorders such as obsessive disorders.

It is also common in depression, bipolar disorder or acute stress or post-traumatic stress disorders. In fact, anxiety is usually common in multiple psychiatric and psychological problems..

How to help in case of an anxiety crisis

As can be imagined from its description, the anxiety or anxiety crisis is a very disabling phenomenon and tends to make the focus of attention of the sufferer center on the symptoms themselves. Likewise, it is easy for the symptoms to be confused with those of a heart problem, something that makes it a very frightening experience.

Helping a person in this situation is not easy when we are already immersed in it, although it is possible.How can we do it?

The way to help would be to try to reduce the focus on the discomfort or to reduce some of the more controllable physiological symptoms, such as breathing. It should also be remembered that anxiety attacks are usually of relatively short duration, lasting only a few minutes. are usually relatively short-lived, lasting only a few minutes, so that they eventually disappear on their own.They will eventually disappear on their own.

Next we will see some small indications to keep in mind if we meet someone in the middle of an anxiety crisis. However, it is important to keep in mind that first of all it must be ruled out that it is a real heart attack.

1. Do not tell them to calm down

It is relatively common that when a person enters a crisis of anxiety or an anxiety crisis, others do not know how to react. In this sense, it is common for them to try to tell the person to calm down.

This type of instructions is totally counterproductiveIf the person could calm down just by wanting to calm down, he/she would do it immediately and would not be going through the crisis. Thus, encouraging a person with anxiety to try to block that feeling leads them to become even more frustrated at not being able to immediately remove that kind of mental content.

It can also add to the burden or tension that may be felt by feeling reproached for not being able to get out of the situation. The reaction is probably not positive, since it enhances nervousness and the feeling of overwhelm and suffocation.

2. Give him/her space, but offer your help

The person who is suffering from an anxiety crisis will generally feel more secure if he/she feels will feel safer if he/she feels that there is someone nearby who can help him/her and attend to him/her at that moment. and attend to them at that moment.

However, it is necessary that he has some space, in the sense that it is not convenient that a large number of people gather around him because it makes it easier to get even more nervous (something that can happen, for example, if we hit in the street).

3. Help him to focus on a fixed stimulus other than his feelings of suffocation or suffering.

Someone suffering from an anxiety crisis is experiencing a series of very intense symptoms on which they usually focus their attention.

One way to help them would be to try to make them focus on some kind of different stimulus. In this regard it may be helpful to try to get them to maintain eye contact with you, and help them to focus their attention on such things as your on aspects such as your own breathing in order to imitate it.

You can also try to distract them in other ways, such as talking to them so that they concentrate on what we are saying instead of the symptoms, although this may not work.

4. Try to help them take deeper breaths.

One of the strategies that can be useful in helping a person in the midst of an anxiety crisis is to help her to control her breathing, since in such crises one of the main symptoms is the existence of hyperventilation..

In this sense it may be useful to try to make the other person pay attention to you and try to make him/her take a deep breath, both inhalation and exhalation. If available, it may also help to use a paper bag so that you can concentrate on filling and emptying it.

5. Don't panic

Living an anxiety crisis is not exactly pleasant and generates a great deal of suffering, to the point that the person may feel like dying or losing his mind. In this circumstance, having someone next to you who reacts with panic and nervousness and not knowing what to do in the face of what is happening can increase your own anxiety.

This is why it is necessary to try to remain calm and act decisively, so that the way the other person actsThe way the other person acts should be a reassuring stimulus for the person who is having the attack.

6. Speak clearly and in a calm voice

In spite of the fact that the person in the middle of an anxiety crisis can react with certain hostility, the fact is that the fact that you speak to them with a firm and serene voice and in a clear way can help to lower the level of activation, especially if they are processing and understanding the situation.especially if they are processing and understanding what we are saying.

7. Remind them that anxiety eventually passes

This point is only applicable if the person has already had other anxiety crises before. It is about trying to remind them that although the sensations are very intense and aversive, these crises are not dangerous for their anxiety, these crises are not dangerous for their life and that little by little their symptoms will disappear..

Of course, we must always assess whether it is really an anxiety crisis, since we could be facing another type of problem.

How to help people with anxiety (whether or not they have a disorder)

Supporting someone who is feeling a certain level of anxiety requires an appropriate approach to their situation. First of all we must assess whether there is a reason for this emotional reaction, to be able to act gradually to lower their level of tension. In this sense we can make some recommendations.

1. Encourage him to communicate his feelings.

Very often feelings and emotions considered as negative, such as sadness or anxiety, tend to be hidden or little expressed. A good way to reduce the level of tension of someone who is anxious is to to allow this emotion to express itself in some way.. In this sense it can be useful to talk to him or her about his or her situation.

2. Expressive and energy-releasing activities

Probably when we have been anxious, one of the ways to reduce this discomfort has been to do something that allows us to let off steam. This can also be useful for others to do.

Among the different activities to do are those that allow us to really unload our instincts, such as exercising, boxing, singing, shouting or dancing. It can also be useful to write or paint, if possible, avoiding excessive avoiding an excessive rationalization but letting things arise and flow in a natural way..

3. Help him/her to value his/her worries

There are many aspects of our life that can generate anxiety. However, sometimes the focus on these aspects can become extremely maladaptive and prevent us from functioning in a normative way. It can be useful to contribute to make him value his worries, as well as the way in which he relates to them and how they affect him..

It is important not to do this by criticizing or diminishing the importance of his thoughts (since, after all, if they generate anxiety, it is because they matter to him), but rather in a reflective manner and proposing whether the worry or avoidance of situations is really an advantage or a disadvantage in his day-to-day life.

4. Propose alternative interpretations

Another aspect that can be useful and that in fact is used in therapy is to propose alternative interpretations to our thoughts and worries, as well as to possible disturbing thoughts that are dysfunctional or especially limiting.

5. Use relaxation techniques

One of the most common techniques with regard to anxiety are relaxation techniques, among which breathing and muscle relaxation techniques stand out.

This type of techniques allow us to focus our attention on certain sensations, or to get used to pass from states of tension to others of relaxation. to pass from states of tension to others of relaxation, in such a way that it diminishes and prevents the possibility of a crisisIn this way, the possibility of suffering a crisis is diminished and prevented, at the same time that the nervous activity is reduced and the body and mind are calmed down.

In this sense it is possible to indicate the possibility of realizing some variant of this type of techniques, even in group.

6. Mindfulness: Mindfulness

Although mindfulness seems the umpteenth fad as far as meditation practices of Eastern origin is concerned, the truth is that this technique has been shown to have very beneficial effects in the treatment of anxiety.

Often misnamed as a relaxation technique, what is intended with this type of methodology is to focus on the here and now, as well as to observe our thoughts and feelings.as well as to observe our thoughts and sensations and allow them to flow without judgment. It is very useful to help a person with anxiety, and it does not require a lot of time to learn its basics.

7. Recommend professional help

In the case that we are facing an anxiety disorder, these recommendations may fall somewhat short and it is usually advisable to seek professional help. In this sense it can be a good idea to try to help to look for a psychologist or to recommend to do it.It may be a good idea to try to help find a psychologist or to recommend one, since many people may not dare to take the step.

Throughout the psychotherapy process, psycho-emotional skills and the generation of habits necessary to better regulate anxiety processes are worked on. For example, the patient is trained in relaxation techniques, helped to get used to certain stressful situations, helped to adopt a constructive mentality that does not feed fear, etc. Thus, in a matter of a few months, important changes for the better are achieved.