Hey friends, I’m new to this thread so please guide me if I’m off-base. 

I had a severe anxiety attack last week for the first time in years. I have generalized anxiety that I deal with daily, but I haven’t actually experienced a severe anxiety attack like I had last week in a very long time. My partner was with me and witnessed the whole thing. It was hours and hours long, shaking, crying, extremely nauseous, very emotional and unable to hold myself together. My partner did everything they could to help me: breathing exercises, reassuring me that I was safe, very patient and as comforting as they could be. 

But they have never seen me (or anyone else) have an anxiety attack before. They have since seemed to be very on edge, hyper-aware of my every move, and I can see sincere concern in their eyes when they notice my anxiety quirks start to heighten (probably because they are scared I’m going to have another uncontrollable anxiety attack). They are also having nightmares, really fatigued, nerves… and I know it’s my fault. 

I am really unsure how to foster a conversation with them that comforts them that I am okay, anxiety attacks like that don’t happen very often for me. And also that they didn’t do anything to cause it, and that their presence did help me. I have thanked them over and over and tried to reassure them that I’m okay. But my partner sometimes really struggles with emotional situations and conversations, since society, family, and other insecurities can sometimes condition certain gender(s) to be unemotional. 

I don’t want them to be uncomfortable, but I do want to make sure that I’m offering an environment that they feel safe to decompress in and have the emotions outwardly that are probably circling their mind inwardly. 

Does anyone have any advice for helping to foster that environment, or having a conversation, that can offer my partner some comfort and peace? I don’t want them to constantly live in fear that I’m going to have another attack.