Do you or someone you know suffer from anxiety? Millions of people suffer from anxiety worldwide. You are not alone. Anxiety not only causes discomfort to the one experiencing the anxiety, but it also causes great discomfort to people who know and care about them. It is very difficult to know how to support anxiety sufferers. Here are a few suggestions…

Pray for them
Prayer may seem cliché or insufficient, but when dealing with anxiety, we need all the help we can get! God’s Word says: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) He longs to give gifts to His children: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11) If you don’t know what or how to pray: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26) Praying out loud with the suffering can bring instant comfort and relief. Prayer can help both the person feeling anxious and the one trying to help them.

Listen to them
Someone that I know who suffers with anxiety often tells me that my being there helps. Simply being present and listening to them may be a great help. It is comforting to know that we are not alone. God’s Word also tells us to “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) Another great scripture is Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” I love the picture that comes to my mind when I read that verse. Something like this:

Reassure them of The Truth
It is really important to remind someone experiencing a panic attack or anxiety of things that are true -if they will listen to you. It helps them to be reminded that the feelings that they are having are common both to them and many others. When they remember that they have felt this way before and recovered it may help. When they realize that many people experience similar feelings it may help. If you and they are a Christian, telling them truth about God and His Word will help. It is possible that it will help nonbelievers as well. Our confidence in Christ is extremely comforting. This reminds me of yet another scripture: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) Perhaps reading the Bible out loud to them would help too.

Look out for Your own Health

It is extremely important that when you are trying to support someone who suffers from anxiety that you look out for your own health. It may seem like it goes without saying that you cannot help someone else if you do not first help yourself. However, this fact is often overlooked. We cannot forget the importance of keeping our own selves healthy if we want to be of any help or use to anyone else!

I hope that these suggestions will be helpful. Perhaps you are already using some of these ideas already. If you are supporting someone who suffers from anxiety, or if you yourself suffer from anxiety, I hope it comforts you a little to know that you are certainly not alone. Please reach out to someone if you are feeling alone. Sharing our suffering makes the load lighter!