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July 14th, 2006
WHEN SOMEONE YOU KNOW STRUGGLES WITH
FEAR AND ANXIETY
by Stan Popovich
What do you do when someone you know has to deal
with persistent fears, anxieties, or even depression?
Well the first thing you need to do is to get the
person to seek the services of a professional who
can lead them in the right direction and give them
the help they need. In addition, here are some other
techniques you can use to help the person cope.
Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and
depression. There are many books and information that
will educate you on how to deal with fear and anxiety.
Share this information with the person who is struggling.
Education is the key in finding the answers your looking
for in managing your fears.
Be understanding and patient with the person struggling
with their fears. Dealing with depression and anxiety
can be difficult for the person so do not add more
problems than what is already there.
In every anxiety-related situation you experience,
begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work,
and what you need to improve on in managing your fears
and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety
and you decide to take a walk to help you feel better.
The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself
that you got through it the last time by taking a
walk. This will give you the confidence to manage
your anxiety the next time around.
Challenge your negative thinking with positive statements
and realistic thinking. When encountering thoughts
that make your fearful or anxious, challenge those
thoughts by asking yourself questions that will maintain
objectivity and common sense. For example, you are
afraid that if you do not get that job promotion then
you will be stuck at your job forever. This depresses
you, however your thinking in this situation is unrealistic.
The fact of the matter is that there all are kinds
of jobs available and just because you don’t
get this job promotion doesn’t mean that you
will never get one. In addition, people change jobs
all the time, and you always have that option of going
elsewhere if you are unhappy at your present location.
Changing your thinking can help you manage your fears.
Another thing to remember is that things change and
events do not stay the same. For instance, you may
feel overwhelmed today with your anxiety and feel
that this is how you will feel the rest of the week
or month. This isn’t correct. No one can predict
the future with one hundred percent accuracy. Even
if the thing that you feared does happen there are
circumstances and factors that you can’t predict
which can be used to your advantage. You never know
when the help and answers you are looking for will
come to you.
When your fears and anxieties have the best of you,
seek help from a professional. The key is to be patient,
take it slow, and not to give up. In time, you will
be able to find those resources that will help you
with your problems.
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