Educating Others About Anxiety: Identifying Potential Students
One important aspect of anxiety that I have not seen discussed in any other place, at least to my knowledge anyway, is educating others on how to interact with those that are anxious. Although this article is written with a slant towards social anxiety, the principles presented are general enough such that they can be applied to any anxiety condition.
Educating others about any mental health issue is a very challenging task, especially in America where those with mental health issues are regarded with a high level of stigma. While social anxiety can be a difficult topic to broach, anxiety in general seems to be a more or less socially accepted phenomenon such that once barriers between people are broken down, real education can begin. This first article on educating others will describe how to identify good candidates for anxiety education, and a couple methods for engaging them.
The first thing one needs to find is those who are willing to listen to others with empathy, as they are the best chance for education to take place. While educating those who are unwilling to learn about mental health conditions is necessary, it is very difficult (often impossible), and is probably a task better reserved for those with more experience and confidence.
To locate someone who is empathic, try mentioning something that is personal in nature, but not so personal that one would be embarrassed if the information were shared with others, as this is a possible outcome for such a situation. So for example, one could mention that today, “Work was really hard,” or that, “Man, I’m really having a hard time with this friend of mine.” If the listener asks questions and is seemingly attempting to understand the educator’s perspective, then this person is a good candidate for anxiety education. If the person responds to simple anecdotes such as the previous two with a phrase along the lines of, “Yeah, well my day was hard too. I don’t want to hear about it,” or, “Well, that’s tough,” then this person is not a good candidate for anxiety education. The educator should cut his or her losses, give up, and simply move on to someone else; not everyone is going to want to hear or believe what one has to say.
Once the person seems rather trustworthy with simple information, the educator can begin to reveal more details and more information about what makes him or her nervous in different situations. While this other person may have no concept of anxiety or social anxiety, if he or she is willing to listen and understand, then he or she will learn and become a great ally. The more that others understand about anxiety disorders, the better off the world is because millions of people suffer from some sort of anxiety condition.
Another way to educate others about anxiety is when one receives a job. At most jobs (not all), bosses are understanding of the difficulties of others, and if one explains that he or she has an anxiety disorder and details what causes him or her anxiety, then this can create a very solid working relationship right from the beginning. Most bosses will not be able to relate to the problem of social anxiety, but most will understand and try to work with the job candidate if they want to hire him or her. However, many bosses suffer from anxiety issues themselves, and it may be realistic to expect that once in a while, one may find a very powerful ally who respects those willing to take emotional risks such as disclosing personal information. However, keep in mind that this approach is a risk. Not all bosses will respond in a positive fashion, and in fact, many bosses may blow it off with a snide remark or refusal to listen with sympathy or empathy. As a side note, it is probably best for anxiety sufferers to not work under the guise of such a boss anyway, as he or she will prove only to be an anxiety irritant.
The main benefit of taking the chance to educate others about anxiety is that one has the opportunity to discuss his or her anxiety struggles, which is one of the most beneficial ways of processing anxiety. The second benefit is that one may make a good friendship that could lead to much happiness and personal satisfaction in the future. And finally, if nothing else, one is spreading awareness of the fact that anxiety is an issue that people need to have on their minds, and the more that other people know and understand about anxiety disorders, the better.
I am a senior social work student and am planning on attending graduate school in the Fall. I have made a strong recovery from anxiety and have an excellent way with words, so I am attempting to put that skill to use by writing articles. I currently write the articles primarily for my anxiety recovery site, The Anxiety Support Network, but I also use many other mediums to distribute the information.
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