Dating someone who suffers from anxiety requires open communication and endless reserves of empathy.

And at least one person out there is getting it spot-on.

Callie Theodore from Maine took to Facebook recently to describe how her boyfriend supports her through the insecurity and “irrational thoughts” brought about by her battle with anxiety (one of the UK’s most common mental disorders).

Theodore’s eloquent post uses the example of her partner Chris Briggs to illustrate how people in loving relationships should look after one another when it comes to panic attacks and other anxiety-related issues.

“It’s hard loving someone who suffers from anxiety,” she writes. “They will be over sensitive, they will make up scenarios in their head causing an argument, and constant reassurance is needed.

“Find yourself someone who doesn't make you feel like loving you is a job. Someone who will assure of you the little things. Someone who doesn't tell you that you're overreacting. Someone that will rock you on the floor in the dead middle of an anxiety attack. Find someone that no matter how hard you push them- they do not leave.”

“It’s hard loving someone who suffers from anxiety”: read this poignant message on relationships and mental health