Accepting and Sharing Your Anxiety
Anxious thoughts, constant worry, fear and uncertainty are just a few of the things that people who suffer from anxiety have to cope with every day. Living with anxiety is not easy but it can surely be easier if you have the support of your family and friends.
Unfortunately, in most of cases people who suffer from anxiety feel ashamed of their condition and try to hide it and not speak about it at all.
Often people with anxiety are confused and think that this condition is temporary or they are to blame. The truth is that there is no one to blame for your condition and there is nothing to be ashamed of.
On the contrary, if believe you are the one responsible for your anxiety and feel like it is something that you should be ashamed of, it only isolates you more and more from the rest of the world. And isolation is the last thing you need for your anxiety.
In order to deal with your condition you will have to get help and support from your family and friends. However, to do this you will have to speak openly about your anxiety issues and explain your friends how you feel.
The first thing that you will need to do is to accept that you have a problem. And this is maybe the hardest part of coping with your anxiety – the first step. In many cases people tend to underestimate the problem and wait for it to magically disappear. This is the phase of denial. People tend to accept if they are physically injured or ill better than they can accept that they are too stressed and have anxiety issues. Often people with anxiety think they are crazy and do not know what to do.
Accepting Your Condition
It’s easy – get educated on the subject. I know that reading everything on the Internet is not always helpful, but in the case of anxiety it can help a lot. Find more information about the symptoms that you have, participate in online communities with people who share your problems, and find understanding.
Accepting Your Condition
Usually when people see that they are not alone it brings them peace, and they can more easily accept that they have anxiety issues. But remember that self-diagnosis is not recommended, and if you think you may suffer from anxiety, stress or any other condition you should visit your doctor.
Get Used To It
It may sound strange, but it is important – get used to your condition. This doesn’t mean stop fighting it, but you can find peace with the thought, “Yes, I suffer from anxiety and there is nothing wrong with that."
Talk! Talk! Talk!
This is a significant part of your overall treatment – talk about your condition. If you have got all the information that you need about anxiety – you will know your problem in depth and be able to better explain to friends and family what is happening to you.
Start talking with your friends about your anxiety – do not avoid the problem and say that you are OK every time someone asks you. Be honest – explain with simple words to your friends and family that lately you are more stressed and this has reflected to your health. Explain how you feel during a panic attack and what techniques you use to cope with it. You will be surprised how many of your friends have experienced panic attack at least one time in their life.
And ask for help if you need help! Let’s be honest – everyone at some point in his or her life will need help. And there is nothing wrong in that. Your family and friends love you and will do anything for you. If you experience frequent panic attacks give direction to those closest to you about how they can help you. This way you are helping not only yourself but them too – no one wants to see a loved one suffer.
Be Proud of Small Victories!
Don’t share only your worst moments and fears, share your victories, too! If you have managed to go through a week without panic, share that with your friends. If you managed your last panic attack well, talk about that. This way you will be able to make them not only a part of your problem but also a part of your recovery.