Loved ones with anxiety

[Aelita]

I personally do not suffer from agoraphobia or anxiety, but someone that I love does.
It's a long and personal story that I don't quite feel comfortable publishing on the net... but I was wondering if anyone else is also here, researching to get a better understanding of their friend, lover or family member who has anxiety.

I don't want to rant about how helpless it is to watch a person you love suffer from this when I do not experience any symptoms, but it really is heart breaking to watch the man I love feel so hopeless.

Is anyone in a relationship with a person who suffers from anxiety? Any advice?


Cheers

[alankay]

What type of anxiety, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, PSTD, ?
Alankay

[dazza]

I personally do not suffer from agoraphobia or anxiety, but someone that I love does.
It's a long and personal story that I don't quite feel comfortable publishing on the net... but I was wondering if anyone else is also here, researching to get a better understanding of their friend, lover or family member who has anxiety.

I don't want to rant about how helpless it is to watch a person you love suffer from this when I do not experience any symptoms, but it really is heart breaking to watch the man I love feel so hopeless.

Is anyone in a relationship with a person who suffers from anxiety? Any advice?

Cheers

I was lucky. My other 'arf is a district nurse and so she was familiar with how anxiety + panic works.

Still, it was no less of a shock for her to see ME in such a state. You kinda expect this type of disorder to happen to "other people" and not yourself, particularly when the
sufferer is otherwise of a completely normal background & nature.

What's more frustrating for partners is that they can't just pop down the local chemist and get you something for it... instead, they have to endure some pretty hideous, weird and freaky situations, often carrying on for years.

The best thing you can do is research & understand it.

Anxiety / panic is not just a case of "calming down". It's essentially a brain malfunction, in particular the way it processes (or handles) fear / anxiety / worry and, at it's worst, is uncontrollable.
Fear triggers fight or flight, which sends our minds and bodies into blind panic.
Recovery of the brain functions and nervous system takes time. Sometimes a LONG time.

[Aelita]

He refuses to see a doctor because he is afraid they will start him on pills (he doesn't even do cold medicine)... so he's never got a proper diagnosis. In fact, I am the only person he has told about this over the past 7 years. Just the idea of going to the doctor with this makes him panic.
His symptoms seem to be consistent with panic disorder and agoraphobia, since he has essentially shut out everything worthwhile in his life for fear of going out will induce a panic attack. He's also self conscious about things like eating in front of people for fear of vomiting and things like that...

Thanks for the response, guys. This seems like a very supportive forum so I think I might post my story, if anyone care to read it.