Because of the nature of the condition, panic disorder can often cause social isolation. If you have a loved one or an acquaintance who has panic disorder, there are things that you can do to be a supportive friend.
Social Relationships and Panic Disorder
For a person with panic disorder, social relationships can be an important way to cope with symptoms of the condition. Some of the ways that social support can help include:
Social relationships can help provide a buffer to soften the negative effects of depression and anxiety. It can also serve as an emotional regulation tool, allowing people to better manage feelings of distress. The results of one study suggested that social support may play a role in reducing symptom severity in people who have panic disorder.
Social support can also be helpful when a person is experiencing a panic attack. When someone is having a panic attack, the experience can be intense and overwhelming. Symptoms such as a pounding heart and labored breathing can leave people feeling that their life is in danger. Panic attacks are frequently mistaken for a medical event such as a heart attack. It can take numerous trips to the emergency room before the person is even properly diagnosed with this mental health disorder. This can be very upsetting for the person faced with panic disorder and can also be worrisome for family and significant others.
Things to Avoid
If someone you love is coping with panic disorder, there are some things you need to avoid doing. Sometimes these actions can be hurtful and may damage your relationship. In other cases, they can actually make the symptoms of panic disorder worse.
Don’t Aggravate the Situation
If you happen to be there during one of their panic attacks, it is crucial that you remain calm and collected. If a person having a panic attack thinks that you are afraid of them or angry at them, it can have a negative effect on their well-being. For friends and family members, one of the most important ways you can help is by staying calm yourself and avoiding joining in on the panic.
Focus on being a model of relaxation.If you are in a setting where the other person tends to get anxious or panic, come up with a plan to help keep them calm.If the person needs to leave the situation, help them with an exit strategy.
It can sometimes be a challenging situation to deal with, but it is important to avoid seeming judgmental or upset. People with panic disorder often feel helpless and socially isolated. If they feel like they are burdening their friends and family, they may isolate themselves further to avoid becoming a burden.
Don’t Minimize
Patience and trust are vital components for helping someone battle panic disorder. If a person with panic disorder is pushed into a situation they are not ready for, they may withdraw as their fears intensify. The symptoms can only worsen by hastily propelling them into a panic-inducing situation or telling the person that they are being melodramatic. Rather than denying their feelings, take the following steps to allow the person to feel seen and heard:
Remain supportive.Allow them the space to work through some of their own issues.Have faith that your loved one will recover on their own time.
What You Can Do to Help
There are plenty of steps you can take to support someone who has panic disorder. Remember that social relationships can play a role in helping the individual cope, so look for things that you can do that will make a positive difference.
Educate Yourself
The best way to begin to understand what someone with panic disorder is going through is to become educated about the condition. Learning more about panic disorder can help you feel better prepared and more understanding. You might find it helpful to learn other things about the condition including:
Basics about panic disorder Common symptoms Treatment options Prognosis
You may also find it useful and empowering to learn about relaxation techniques that can help people who are having a panic attack. Knowing these techniques will help you understand what to do and how you can help when someone you know is experiencing an anxiety attack.
Listen
When a person begins to experience panic, allow them to express what is happening to them. Get updates on how they are by asking, “How are you feeling now?” Sometimes doing this can help them focus on something beyond the physical sensations of panic. Other things that you can do:
Reassure them that they are safe.Let them know that you won’t let anything bad happen to them.Listen carefully and acknowledge their fears.
Help With Relaxation Exercises
Before another attack occurs, plan ahead and decide with them what strategies are most helpful in getting through the panic. Ask them how you can be the most helpful when a panic attack happens. During the attack:
Assist the person with their breathing by taking deep breaths with them or counting along as they breathe. Use affirmations along with them, stating “You are safe.” You can always simply lend a hand by getting them a seat, helping them to an area where they feel secure, or bringing them a glass of water.
Offer Encouragement
Panic disorder is overcome in little steps. Remember to acknowledge the person’s small victories. For example, a person who often panics in a car may agree to a short drive around the block. This tiny movement forward may not seem like much progress to you, but it is still a step towards growth. You can help by offering praise along the way as the individual progressively works toward their goals. Reinforcing positive steps can help improve a person’s sense of confidence over time, as the person becomes more self-assured and begins to make further strides towards recovery.
How Therapy Can Help
Couples and families dealing with panic disorder can benefit greatly from therapy. Through therapeutic intervention, the family can work together on treatment planning and recovery. The types of therapy that are often used for panic disorder include:
Family therapy to provide education, address the dependency needs of the family member with panic disorder, support issues, and communication problems may be beneficial as an adjunct treatment. Individual therapy can also benefit those dealing with a loved one with panic disorder, allowing for open and honest sharing of concerns and frustrations without fear of hurting their feelings. Group therapy that focuses on supporting families who are coping with a member with a mental disorder can also be helpful. Support groups that are offered through advocacy organizations, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), can help people with panic disorder and family members normalize the experiences and help the individual know, and realize, that they are not alone.
Remember to Take Care of Yourself
It is important that you maintain your own quality of life while your loved one works through this problem. Taking care of yourself and your priorities may help alleviate feelings of resentment or annoyance. Some things you should do:
Stick to your plans, regardless of how the person is feeling. Don’t completely rearrange your life to work around someone else’s anxiety. For instance, if you had plans to go out with friends or visit with extended family, still do so even if they feel too afraid to go.Set boundaries with them, such as limiting the number of phone calls you will take while you are at work or deciding what days you can make available to assist them outside of the home.
A Word From Verywell
Even though coping with a loved one with panic disorder can be demanding, assisting them in overcoming it can be rewarding for your relationship. By supporting them through this journey, you can improve communication, foster trust, and enhance intimacy. With kindness, empathy, patience, understanding, and love, family and friends can serve as some of the most effective instruments for recovery.
