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It is human nature to want to help other people. But sometimes, saying nothing at all is better than saying something wrong, especially when trying to help someone with anxiety.

Anxiety is a complex mental issue that combines feelings of fear, dread and uneasiness. Ideally, it is the body's temporary response to help a person cope with a stressful situation. However, for people with anxiety disorders, the feeling is not temporary, and it can be so overwhelming to the point that it causes a person to excessively sweat and feel overwhelmed.

When with someone who has anxiety, it may come naturally to try and comfort the person. But some things can trigger their anxiety even more. Here are some things to avoid saying.

"It's all in your head"

While the intent may be to try and calm them down, saying that their distress is "all in their head" can do more harm as it only leaves the issues unaddressed. It also invalidates their feelings, which will result in even worse anxiety attacks in the future. 

"I know how you feel"

Again, the intent is probably good. However, saying, "I know how you feel," is not as empathetic as it initially sounds because it does not let them feel they are being heard. Try saying this instead, "I can see how what happened makes you feel upset." 

"Why don't you just face your fears?"

While exposure therapy is a well-known way to address fears and anxieties, telling them this amid an anxiety attack will not help them. The idea of exposure therapy is to do it gradually in a somewhat controlled environment. Normally, therapists will ask a patient to relax and control their breathing before exposing them to their fear. It should not be done while a person is experiencing anxiety.