Family Information Series: Supporting a loved one with anxiety

St Patrick's Mental Health Services (SPMHS) hosts a webinar on supporting people with anxiety.

This is the seventh webinar in our Mental Health Recovery: A Family Perspective series and focuses on supporting a loved one with anxiety. Frank Smith, Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Anxiety Disorders Programme here in SPMHS, discusses promoting and supporting the recovery of a loved one with anxiety.

Anxiety is our body’s response to a perceived threat. When we see, hear or smell something we consider dangerous to us in some way, our brain and our body respond so that we are ready for ‘fight or flight’. It is normal to experience anxiety, but problems can occur when anxiety becomes off-balance and prevents us from, for example, living independently, working productively or being social with others. It is important that, as family members and supporters, we understand the challenges our loved one might be facing with their anxiety and help them as best we can.

You can watch Frank's talk below now.

Learn more about anxiety

Find out more about support for families and carers

There is support available for those who are caring for someone with mental health difficulties.