How do friends help?

I receive an email from a sweet girl who asked me how best she can support her girlfirend who has social and generalized anxiety disorder. She wants to know how she can be there for her friend. How she can help her during a panic attack and motivate her to get out of the house. She loves her friend dearly and wants her to be happy.

We should all be so blessed to have such a loving friend willing to stand by us through the challenges of an anxiety disorder.

I replied to her questions with some ideas of my own but thought it would be useful to ask other here to chime in on the discussion.

I will come again too to repeat some of my ideas if they don't come up for others to share.

Thanks.

Good questions... The important thing to remember is "It's not personal." It's the same thing with a good deal of people who have loved ones or people they care for that suffer from mental health. Many times a person with mental health issues behave in ways that can seem to be an assault, it normally isn't (although I have to be held accountable for my inappropriate responses to my stress or I will never get better i.e. I say I'm sorry and I will try to do better next time.)

The other thing is to balance keeping the other accountable without pushing too hard. This is probably the hardest thing to do. The last thing my family wants to do is tell me I am behaving in a way that hurts them or myself (normally I know but sometimes I don't) but I need that sometimes. Sometimes I get caught up in the illness and I don't see things as clearly as I should. But obviously if you push too hard you may complicate a situation. It takes a strong relationship, but from what I hear the foundation is there. I hope your friend and her friend all the best.

How to work through feelings of social isolation: http://www.ehow.com/how_5282065_work...isolation.html

Thank you for all your help

May you find peace and all that is good.