What Is Relationship Anxiety? 3 Ways To Deal With This
You’re questioning everything.
You love your partner. You’ve been in a committed relationship. You may not even be able to imagine life without them. But at the same time, you have a lot of ‘what ifs’ running through your head.
How do you know that your partner is your perfect match? Will you both last? Will they love you as much as you love them? What if you fall out of love?
It’s not you or them. This is what we like to call “relationship anxiety.” Let’s learn more about relationship anxiety and 3 ways to deal with it.
What is Relationship Anxiety?
Relationship anxiety is the constant feeling of worry, doubt, and insecurity, even if you’re in a relationship that is going well for the most part. If you’re experiencing relationship anxiety, you’re not alone. It’s actually a relatively common type of anxiety.
There isn’t a clear cause of what causes relationship anxiety, but, as with any type of anxiety, trying to identify the underlying reasons can help you better understand and deal with the anxiety you’re facing.
Ways to Deal with Relationship Anxiety
With time and a little effort, you can deal with and even overcome your relationship anxiety. Here are three ways you can start to deal with your relationship anxiety:
1. Communication is Key
With any type of relationship, communication is key. A lot of the time, relationship anxiety has nothing to do with your partner. This means that you should put extra effort into making sure communication is good on your end.
Practice good communication by using “I” statements instead of accusatory statements like “You”. This can help you clearly communicate your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When you use “I” instead of “You”, your partner won’t immediately feel like they have to go into defense mode.
2. Try to Avoid Being Impulsive
Your anxiety can make you feel like you are spiraling out of control sometimes. Even if that’s the case, try not to be too impulsive or act on your feelings before thinking things through. It can be easy to say or do things that you may regret.
If you feel yourself starting to spiral into an impulsive state, try to distract yourself or incorporate some mindfulness techniques. Take a few deep breaths, go on a walk outside, or start journaling to keep track of your anxiety and coping methods.
3. Seek Out Additional Support from a Therapist
If you’re struggling with working through your relationship anxiety on your own, you can find ways to understand your anxiety and help you cope by reaching out to a therapist.
With therapy, you could choose to schedule an individual session, a couples therapy session, or both. A therapist can work with you and your partner to help you understand your or one another’s feelings, wants, and needs.
Therapy is a judgment-free zone. This means that you and your partner can hear one another out without any judgment or having someone get defensive. Plus, your therapist will work with you to make sure you are both clearly communicating with each other.
Next Steps
There is a little bit of uncertainty with everything in life, including relationships. This may be hard to accept, especially because it means that avoiding your relationship anxiety completely may not be an option.
That may be true, but there are things you can do to help ease some of the anxiety you’re dealing with.
If you’re looking for extra support, reach out to us today to set up a consultation for individual or couples counseling, or both. We’ll work with you to help you get back to enjoying your time with your partner again, worry-free.
Through Therapy Collective
Our team of culturally competent therapists is here to offer a warm and safe space to help you navigate life’s hardships with a sense of encouragement and empathy. Find out more >
