How Does Anxiety Affect Relationships?
Anxiety impacts millions of people across the globe, and it can manifest itself through a variety of symptoms. We often think about how anxiety impacts the individual struggling with it, and that’s important. It can completely take over your thoughts and make things feel out of your control. However, anxiety can also impact other areas of your life, including your relationships. Whether you’re in a romantic relationship with a partner or you’re concerned about friendships or familial relationships, it’s important to know the effect anxiety can have.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the ways that anxiety affects relationships and what you can do to preserve your connections with the people in your life.
Overthinking
Anxiety is often rooted in the fear of the unknown. Unfortunately, that can cause your thoughts to race more often than not. When it comes to relationships, that leads to overthinking. You might assume your best friend is mad at you if they don’t want to meet up for lunch. You might start to fear the worst if your partner doesn’t answer your phone call right away.
While these thoughts aren’t usually based on reality, they can feel extremely real and relevant when you’re anxious. Those thoughts can lead to being overly dependent in your relationships and may cause the people in your life to slip away because they can’t provide the constant reassurance you need.
Fear of Rejection
That “fear of the unknown” can also lead to thoughts and worries of rejection. Whether you think your friend group doesn’t want to spend time with you or you’re constantly worried about your partner leaving you, the fear of rejection from people in your social circles can constantly make you feel like you’re unloved or uncared for.
Social Isolation
It’s not uncommon for people with anxiety to isolate themselves from social interaction and relationships. It might seem counterproductive, but it’s a defense mechanism. The less often you’re around people, the less likely it is for anyone to develop negative feelings. Of course, that can put a strain on your relationships, especially if you’re involved romantically with someone.
Constant Worrying
No matter what your triggers are, anxiety can cause you to worry almost constantly. That can put a lot of stress and strain on your relationship because your partner, friends, and family might not know what to do to help. They might start to feel like they’re walking on eggshells around you, which can fuel the vicious cycle that makes your anxiety even worse.
Poor Communication
It’s not always easy for people with anxiety to express what they’re really thinking or feeling. Healthy relationships require communication to work. If you’re not able to open up and show vulnerability, even if you’re worried it might push people away, you’re never going to get the support you need to overcome your anxious thoughts. Having a support system while dealing with anxiety is incredibly important. While it’s not always easy to open up about your fears, trust that the people who love you will want to be there for you, no matter what. Having anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of. However, it doesn’t need to control your life or your relationships forever.
If you’re struggling and it’s starting to impact the people you love, feel free to contact me to set up an appointment for anxiety therapy. Together, we’ll get to the underlying cause of your anxiety. Then, we can work on the healthiest coping mechanisms and management techniques to fight back against your symptoms. In doing so, you can start to take control of your negative, fearful thoughts and foster healthier relationships in your life.
