Which approach is appropriate when supporting a consumer who is anxious about attending a public event?

• A. Teach breathing techniques and offer to accompany, if invited.
• B. Insist on attending alone.
• C. Tell them to avoid all events.
• D. Decide for the consumer to skip.

Answer: (A)

When supporting a consumer who is anxious about attending a public event, the goal is to help regulate arousal in the moment while honoring their choices. Teaching breathing techniques gives a practical, quick tool to lower physiological arousal—faster, controlled breathing can calm the nervous system and create space for decision-making. Offering to accompany the person if they invite you provides a sense of safety and support without taking away autonomy, modeling coping in the moment and reducing the fear of being alone in a crowd. This approach builds trust, fosters self-efficacy, and respects the consumer’s agency.

Insisting on attending alone can undermine their sense of safety; telling them to avoid all events reinforces avoidance behavior; deciding for them to skip removes their choice and can erode confidence in managing anxiety.