How Does Male Anxiety Affect Relationships?
Anxiety can affect both women and men. Women are more likely to reach out for help when facing signs and symptoms of anxiety. Men often feel like they have to hide their true feelings, even with loved ones. If your anxiety is left untreated, it can lead to lingering or worsening signs and symptoms. It may even start to affect your day-to-day life, including your relationships with others.
This is how male anxiety can affect relationships.
Anger
Males share a lot of the same symptoms as females when it comes to anxiety. That being said, men are more likely to show signs of anger while women will often be more likely to express their emotions. Men often keep their emotions to themselves. This can lead to a building sensation since they’re holding everything in. When something builds, an explosion is usually inevitable. The explosive anger that can occur when keeping anxiety in can actually affect your relationships.
If you explode on your partner, you may hurt their feelings or they may not want to be with someone who has signs of anger issues. If you blow up on someone at work, it may cause issues or even lead to you being fired.
Learning more about your emotions and how to cope can be a huge help next time you’re feeling anxious.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Since a lot of men refuse to reach out for help when they need it, it can lead to them seeking unhealthy coping mechanisms instead, which can also impact the relationships in their lives.
Substance Use and Abuse
Men are more likely to use and abuse substances like drugs and alcohol as a way to help them feel like they have control over their emotions, thoughts, and feelings relating to their anxiety. These substances may feel like they’re working, but in reality, they’re actually just acting as a band-aid toward the real issues at hand.
Working Out Too Much
Working out is a great way to feel better from the inside out. Exercise has a lot of great benefits for your physical and mental health. At some point, working out can be too much though. Men may go to the gym as a way to relieve stress but also not think or actually deal with their emotions. Sure, they’ll feel great at the moment, but they’re really only burying their true thoughts, feelings, and emotions deep down to not actually deal with them.
Working out too much can affect your relationships as well. You may be spending too much time at the gym which means you’re spending less time with your family, friends, and co-workers.
Instability in a Relationship
Another way anxiety in men can affect their relationships is through the instability that is caused by it.
Since men often refuse to actually seek help from a trained and licensed professional, they may rely on their partner to be their own, personal therapist. Their partner may start to feel like the relationship isn’t balanced and their wants and needs aren’t being considered.
Seeking Treatment
If you’re anxious, you have to first admit it to yourself. Hiding your true feelings will only make them worse in the long run. Everyone experience anxiety from time to time. This includes both women and men. If you’re facing anxiety, there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. A little anxiety actually proves that you’re completely normal! Acknowledging you’re dealing with anxiety will only benefit you and help get you the support you need and deserve.
Therapy is a great way to talk to a licensed and trained individual in a judgment-free and safe space. If you’re interested in learning more about anxiety therapy, reach out today to set up a consultation.
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