It’s not always easy to know how to support a friend or family member who has an anxiety disorder, especially if you’re worried that what you say or do might make their anxiety worse. worse.

Don’t worry: if someone has told you about their difficulties, it’s because they trust you. And that means that the simple act of helping to be there and listen can heal your loved one.

“Friends and family are important in helping a person cope with Manage Anxiety disorders, especially because they make the person feel supported, accepted, and reassured that they are not alone,” said Karol Darsa, PsyD, psychologist and founder of Reconnect says. Center, an integrated trauma treatment center in Los Angeles. This support is especially important because, due to embarrassment, many people with anxiety do not talk about their condition, which can make them feel isolated and prolong their anxiety.

“Anxiety is a real disease that can be cured, like most diseases. If we send evidence that the concern is not true or should not be taken seriously, we run the risk of further stigmatizing the person, which may cause them to avoid seeking treatment. ” says Benjamin F Miller, PsyD, a primary care psychologist. and associate professor of psychiatry and public health and human sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine in California.

If your loved one has an Anxiety Disorders in Psychology, here are some of the best ways to support them, according to experts.