Anxiety problems not only cause discomfort due to the immediate experience of noticing how feelings linked to stress and anguish spread through our body.
Furthermore, they put us in the complex situation of having to manage our personal relationships while suffering from excess anxiety, and explaining what is happening to us to avoid misunderstandings, so that others can take it into account and, if necessary, , so they can help us at key moments
In this article I will offer several tips about How to explain to the people around you that you have an anxiety problem In day to day.
The main thing you should know about anxiety problems
Let’s start with the key ideas that need to be understood to know what anxiety problems are. This is a term used to generally refer to a set of experiences associated with discomfort, which have to do with anxiety, and which take away more quality of life than they give us.
On the other hand, Anxiety is a completely natural psychological and physiological phenomenon and that in most cases it has nothing to do with any psychopathology; In fact, it is a resource that helps us survive and adapt to life’s complications, predisposing us to be alert in special situations and to react quickly to avoid unnecessary dangers and risks.
However, as with any other biological or psychological trait, what is normally adaptive can lead to health alterations (physical or mental, respectively).
Since anxiety is always linked to a specific context and, on the other hand, is related to the way in which we have learned to manage emotions, almost without realizing it we can develop a maladaptive way of experiencing anxiety.
In some cases this causes us to suffer general discomfort caused by excessively high levels of anxiety, and in the most extreme cases, this discomfort takes a qualitative leap and becomes part of a psychopathology, such as any of the anxiety disorders (for example). phobias, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, etc.).
On the other hand, there are other psychopathologies that are also capable of making us overly anxious: major depression, OCD, drug addiction, etc. That is All anxiety disorders are anxiety problems, but not all anxiety problems are psychological disorders
But regardless of whether we suffer from a psychological disorder that is behind our anxiety problem, what we do when interacting with the environment and managing our emotions and thoughts can help us overcome the discomfort and gain quality of life. Of course, in the event that we suffer from psychopathology, it will be essential to go to therapy.
How do I communicate that I have anxiety problems?
When communicating everything related to your anxiety problem to those around you, keep the following tips in mind.
1. Don’t use “labels” to describe your essence
As we have seen, anxiety problems are always linked to a specific context and a history of previous learning, which you may have done consciously or unconsciously. That is The fact that you feel anxious frequently does not say much about the core of your identity, nor does it describe your essence
Keep this in mind when explaining what is happening to you, since if you use stigmatizing labels on yourself, you will be predisposing others to do the same. You are not an anxious person, but you are in a situation that generates anxiety problems, which can leave just as they came.
2. Use examples
Anxiety is a complex phenomenon, and it is difficult to understand what it is by sticking to abstract ideas. Better that you combine them with examples and practical cases about how anxiety problems affect you in your daily life
3. Explain how what happens to you can affect your relationships
It is important that you put special emphasis on the social implications of your anxiety problems, since explaining this part is the one that has the most practical use Of course, if you want your interlocutor to understand you on a deeper level, also expand on the rest of the areas of your life.
4. Make it clear that your reaction to anxiety spikes is not something you choose
Extreme anxiety has the ability to make us lose control of what we do Therefore, it is important that others understand that what we do in those moments does not represent us as much as what we do at any other time. This way you will avoid misunderstandings.
Are you looking for psychological support?
If you find yourself in a complicated situation in which you need professional psychological support, I invite you to contact me.
My name is Javier Ares and I am a psychologist specialized in emotional and relationship problems; I can assist you either in my office in Madrid or through the online therapy modality.
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
