HELPING FAMILY MEMBERS WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY

Living and coping with social anxiety disorder is hard, but it’s even harder when an anxiety sufferer feels that his or her family doesn’t understand. The strain that social anxiety disorder puts on family relationships can have a very negative impact. For example if a relative wants to go out to eat at a restaurant, the socially anxious person maybe be extremely reluctant to participate because of the fear of eating in public. It’s not the fear of just eating in public, it’s the fear that he/she might not be displaying the proper etiquette. This form of anxiety is commonly referred to performance anxiety by some. If you’re a family member of someone who has social anxiety disorder, then you first need to realize that social phobia is a SERIOUS medication condition that affects millions of people every and every year.

STEPS TO HELPING YOUR FAMILY MEMBER COPE SUCCESSFULLY

• Learn about the social anxiety disorder as much as you can, and even read case stories if available.
• If your family member has made some achievements in the fight against anxiety, then praise him or her for their accomplishments.
• Don’t try to force your family members into social situations they are not comfortable with, but rather try to be flexible while sticking to a normal routine.
• Lastly, do not treat them differently, but act normally as usual.