If you love someone, it means you love every little thing about them and accept them just the way they are. When anxiety is a part of who your loved one is, you have to accept it as well, no matter how tough it can be sometimes.

It really is tough, there’s no denying that. You don’t have to be a psychology expert to understand that anxiety is stressful for both: the one who has it and their partner. So, here are 10 things you can face when you love someone with anxiety to help you understand your loved one a bit more.

Anxiety Is Overwhelming

Yes, it can be exhausting. But yes, you can handle it. Anxiety causes people to be in that super tense state. They talk fast, they talk a lot, they can’t concentrate, and they can’t sort their thoughts. Their bodies are always on alert. Such conditions are tiring for both you and your partner, but they don’t last forever.

Prepare to Hear Apologies

They know they are acting irrationally. They realize that sometimes anxiety makes them look like a crazy person, and they feel guilty because of that. Of course, this only accumulates their anxiousness and makes them worry even more. They are concerned about your feelings too and understand how much you have to deal with every day. So, they never get tired of telling you how sorry they are for being this way.

Related: Overcoming Anxiety

You Are Their Hero

Every little thing you do for them is appreciated. You are never taken for granted because they value your presence and the fact that you are sticking by them despite their anxiety. So, any form of support you express towards them will be greeted with endless thanks, even when it’s just a cup of herbal tea.

Patience Is Your Best Helper

You realize that their behavior is not intentional, learn to comprehend the fact that your loved one’s actions aren’t under their control, gather all your patience and allow your partner to be the way they are. You learn to show empathy even when their anxiety causes them to do something you don’t understand.

Prepare to Worry About Meds

When it comes to anxiety, self-medication isn’t a rare phenomenon. Some people turn to professionals for help and take prescription medication, others try to deal with their condition using alcohol, drugs, and weed. No matter what the case is, you are still going to worry about your loved one and the medication they choose.

Planning Is Crucial

For a person with anxiety, to-do lists are like some sort of remedy. You learn to understand that your loved one’s life consists of everyday planning and to-do lists, because this way they feel calmer and in more control. They set a list of tasks that need to be completed, and your role is to understand their need for planning and organizing. Also, some help with completing those tasks will be appreciated.

Sometimes You Just Need to Leave Them Alone

When anxiety takes over and panic attacks happen, some people prefer to be left alone. They know how to deal with such situations as they’ve survived them before. So, you get used to hearing “No” and “Just leave me alone”. You need to understand that sometimes they need some space even when they feel fine and simply need to recharge.

Sleepless Nights

No, not romantically colored sleepless nights. We’re talking here about nights disturbed by anxiety. When your partner experiences a panic attack or simply can’t sleep because of having too many thoughts in their head, you lose sleep as well. You can physically feel the tension in your loved one’s body. So, what do you do? You hug them and say “I’m here when you need me”. It’s that simple.

You Always Have to Be There

They need you all the time, even though they don’t always show it. Even such situations that might seem insignificant to you, like texting, for example, can make your loved one worry, such as when you don’t respond immediately. The thing that people with anxiety want the most from you is support.

You Can’t Predict What Is Going to Trigger Them

Even the tiniest thing can stress your partner. Whether it’s a presentation in front of their colleagues, going shopping, or even some thought, you are not allowed to be skeptical about it. Any noise, any action, or any person can cause your partner to experience stress. So yes, you don’t know when to expect the next breakdown. But let’s face it: your relationship is never boring.

As you see, loving someone with anxiety is sort of a challenge. But you shouldn’t forget that your loved one is more than his or her mental state.