Members,
It is often
difficult to share the difficulties you are currently experiencing with friends
and family. Many often debate as to whether or not informing family and close
friends would be beneficial.
Remember, what you tell your friends and family is up to you. What you
can say probably depends on what your friends and family are like. Some people
may try to understand your problems and respond to you with support. Others may
not understand and have trouble supporting your efforts to get better. Seek
support from those who are most likely to give it.
If you decide to tell a good friend or a supportive family member about
your anxiety, just tell them the facts. Tell them that you believe that you're
struggling with anxiety and that you're trying to do something about it. If
you've been trying to hide your anxiety from someone, sharing this information
may help them understand your behavior. If
you tell them that you have a problem and that you're working on it, good
friends and supportive family members usually want to know how they can help. Tell your good friends and family that just
knowing that they're trying to understand your depression and support you is
important to you. You can tell your
supporters that they can help by learning more about anxiety. The more they
understand it, the better they can help. If you're having trouble explaining
how you're feeling, you may decide to point them in the direction of this web
site.
Below are a number of general suggestions for what you might say to
friends and family members who want to help you cope with an anxiety disorder:
