5 Ways Anxiety Can Affect Your Relationship

Everyone experiences some form of anxiety, but those that suffer from generalised anxiety disorder (or any other anxiety-related mental illness) are prone to having their relationships affected by their disorder. Here are some of the ways it impacts your interactions with your partner.

Overly dependent

It’s always a good thing when you spend time with your partner, and they make you feel safe and at ease. If you have an anxiety disorder, you might find that these feelings disappear when you aren’t with your partner. This can be a sign that your anxiety is causing you to fret when they aren’t there, meaning you are overly dependent on them. This isn’t healthy as you need to do things independently from your partner and relying on them all the time can put a strain on the relationship.

Avoidant

On the other side of the coin, certain people with anxiety can become very distant and isolate themselves from their partner once they reach a certain stage of intimacy in their relationship. They do not wish to open up in fear of becoming overly attached and getting hurt.

Overthinking conflict

Obsessive or overthinking is a common symptom of anxiety which can be triggered in a relationship. Even the smallest disagreement may trigger negative thoughts and cause you to become irrational. This can become a vicious cycle as you create issues in your head and these negative thoughts then translate into real issues with your partner.

Communication Issues

When you’re suffering from anxiety, you can sometimes feel like you swing between passionate conversation to critical conversation as you struggle to express yourself. This can lead to issues in communication as your partner struggles to understand your needs and wants as you aren’t communicating them properly.

Low self-esteem

Your anxiety may affect your self-esteem and increase your paranoia and negative self-talk. These feelings can then trigger unhealthy thoughts like your partner is being unfaithful or deserves someone better.

As you come to understand your anxiety better and identify how it could be impacting your relationships, you’ll find more effective ways to express yourself as well as healthy coping mechanisms. At Psylegal, we have psychology and counselling professionals who can help manage your anxiety. Contact us to book an appointment.

Related Tag: Relationship Counselling Melbourne