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How do I talk to my family and friends about my anxiety?

Profile: CuddleCat
CuddleCat on Sep 18, 2014
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You can say, you know how we all get a little anxious at times? Well I get a little more anxious than say you or a neighbor or our cousin, but I'm still me. So please understand sometimes I will be nervous or fidgety and not as calm as I wish I could be. But I'm still the same person inside.
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Profile: kindgirl517
kindgirl517 on Jan 23, 2016
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I've dealt with anxiety in my life. I actually still am! If you're afraid about your family or friends making fun of you for it, don't be! The worst thing you can do if you have anxiety is to not tell someone. It can make you feel alone and depressed. If you want to tell your family and friends but know how, just sit down with them and come right out and say that you have anxiety about whatever you have anxiety about. Your family will always be there for you, and if your friend doesn't care then they aren't your friend. Just remember, anxiety is an awful thing to go through alone, but it's your choice. I hope I helped some of you! Have a nice anxiety-free day! :)
Profile: sankara7
sankara7 on Dec 17, 2015
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I am not supposed to give advice; do you wish to talk to me about it, instead. I am ready to listen. maybe that would help
Profile: aparnakher
aparnakher on Mar 21, 2015
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Approach them with your problems and sit down and talk with them. The main thing is not to feel like you're bothering them because most probably, you are not. And also, make sure you let them know everything you feel or experience as they need to be aware of the complete situation in order to help you and support you better. :)
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Nov 3, 2014
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This is one of the scariest parts of dealing with a mental illness. You never know how people will react. Some people hold on to a stigma attached to mental illness even though it is an illness like anything else. No one blames you if you get cancer. Mental illness should be treated the same.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Feb 7, 2016
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Family and friends do not understand "anxiety". Family and friends think "yeah, everyone gets nervous about that" and they cannot appreciate that anxiety means more than "nervous". It means you can't breathe. It means your heart is pounding so loudly that you cannot hear anything but its beat. It means you feel like you are sinking into the ground and being forced to move your legs through their prison of floorboards. Explaining he difference between nervousness and the extremes of anxiety is the beginning. Explaining what you need from them when you are in the midst of an anxiety attack is also important. This can't be done while experiencing he anxiety. Talk to them before. Tell them how you feel just before it happens. Tell them what to watch for and to respect if you can't handle them around in the middle of it. Or tell them what they should do to help you. Communicate openly before during and after
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Nov 14, 2014
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There are many ways to deal with this situation. A common way to express how someone is feeling is to write a letter, sounds silly I know but it works.
Profile: RaleighC
RaleighC on Nov 15, 2014
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There are a lot of different ways to talk to your loved ones about your anxiety, and sometimes different people appreciate and respond well to different approaches. First and foremost, remember that anxiety is not your fault, that you should not be ashamed of it, and that there is nothing wrong in sharing your experiences with those around you. Some ways that might be helpful to talk to your family and friends about your anxiety: be honest about it--tell them what it feels like in your body, mind and heart when you're having anxiety. Share resources: you can find these from a therapist, a doctor, online, and even on 7 Cups of Tea. It might help your loved one to understand what's happening with you if you're able to share this kind of information. Let them ask questions, and ask questions yourself. Remember that some people need to process new or different information for a while, while others can grasp it more quickly. Don't let someone's first reaction cause you to not open up to them in the future.
Profile: imhere99
imhere99 on Dec 11, 2015
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Its hard to explain anxiety to people, You just need to ensure that you tell them exactly how it makes you feel and explain that that's why you act differently sometimes. We all get anxious, but say that maybe you get a little more anxious sometimes. Its okay to be nervous about it. Good luck, it'll be worth it once you have explained to them because they will be able to help you.
Profile: Sky0
Sky0 on Dec 9, 2015
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When I found out about my anxiety disorder, I was very upfront about it. It's not anything to be ashamed about! I told my parents I had terrible anxiety, and I wanted to talk to a therapist or doctor about it. I told my friends my anxiety had simply gotten worse, and they accepted me and continued on with our friendship like nothing had changed. :)
Profile: MellyLa
MellyLa on Oct 12, 2014
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Talking about anxiety can be difficult, especially with the ones you love and know you best. I suffer from anxiety and I can tell you I have had some rough times. But it's important that your family and friends understand what you are going through so that they can help you overcome your life's challanges. I would suggest you collect osme information about anxiety. It makes you feel more human and less alien. Then tell your family you would like to talk to them about something important. Explain how you feel, tell them what they can do to help when you get an anxiety attack. Work on it together, don't feel like you have to be excluded from anything.
Profile: Errika
Errika on Oct 25, 2014
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I personally asked my mother what it was like for her when she was younger as she suffers from anxiety herself, and from then on it was a lot easier to talk about it.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jul 28, 2015
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I think the best way would be to try to bring it up to them at a time with little chaos. I'd open up to them about exactly how you've been feeling.
Profile: UmbrElla1413
UmbrElla1413 on Dec 11, 2015
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Anxiety can be very tricky to explain to friends and family, because it may be hard for them to understand how difficult your thoughts and feelings may be, how they impact your daily life and what they can do to support you. It might be a good idea to think about what you want to say and maybe take some notes before you sit down with the people you would like to tell about your anxiety. Think about how to explain your experience and its impact on your life, and about what you want your family and friends to do for you. Try to use I-statements ("When I get anxious, I feel X." "That feeling makes it hard for me to Y." "It would help me a lot if you Z.") Also, try to describe your anxiety by relating to your friends and family. In what situation might they feel the same anxiety? For example: on a rollercoaster, just before a big exam, in a job interview... This may make it easier for them to understand your experience and may even inspire them to find creative ways to help. In a nutshell: 1) Plan the conversation 2) Explain your experience, relate to your friends and family. 3) Explain the challenges you are facing. 4) Ask for help (be specific, use I-statements).
Profile: CharmingEmily99
CharmingEmily99 on Jan 3, 2016
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Tell them how your anxiety makes you feel, how it can be sudden and unpredictable, and how it can seem to come from nowhere. Anxiety is a very real mental disorder and can affect everyday activities. Ask them for help some days when you need it, family can help.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jan 27, 2016
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There are many different ways. Some ways could be that you talk to one by one, or you can talk to a large group, or even small groups. Either way, they'll all support you because they love you.
Profile: Mateia
Mateia on Oct 26, 2014
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It's often very difficult. Often family and friends also experience anxiety because you are experiencing anxiety. So they just want it to go away and they tell you stuff such as to be positive and that everything will be alright. If you really find a chasm growing between you and your family it might even help to ask a third person who can be neutral to help. It also helps to really know what you want to say and to insist on being heard. Also to tell them that you don't feel heard.
Profile: wishfulParadise27
wishfulParadise27 on Dec 9, 2015
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Open and honest. Your family and a few close friends should listen without prejudice. If they are not, you have to cultivate them to accept it.
Profile: Anonymous
Anonymous on Jan 14, 2016
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Start with telling them that you feel something is not right with your life and you.. then highlight what all you feel is not okay with your life i.e. all the ways you feel anxiety is showing its outcome as(i.e. hint at anxiety.. and let them decide it inside their heads) and then slowly offer your explanation that you feel its anxiety.. and that you will need their help to get through it!!
Profile: rana11
rana11 on Oct 11, 2014
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Try to tell them that your anger is not from them in-order to listen then talk about your feelings.
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