Having anxiety can impact all parts of life. It can close you off to others and have a negative effect on relationships. Research shows having a loved one with anxiety takes a toll on children and co-workers, but the greatest ramifications are often seen in romantic relationships. Common ways anxiety causes problems in relationships include:
Worry and Suspicion
Constant worry is a hallmark of anxious thinking. This type of worry is often unfounded but difficult for someone with anxiety to stop. When worry finds its way into a relationship, it appears as jealousy or suspicion. Ways it can manifest include worry over whether your partner is being unfaithful, no longer loves you, is being dishonest, or doesn’t care. This can lead to unnecessary questioning and cause both partners to experience feelings of anger and frustration.
Poor Communication
People with anxiety often experience difficulty expressing their true feelings as well as how anxiety impacts their daily life. It also may be a struggle for someone with anxiety to set and keep boundaries related to what they need. Anxiety can cause you to shut down sharing how you feel on the one hand, or on the other cause you to want to talk about something over and over to point of exhaustion.
Rigid, Controlling Behavior
Anxious individuals soothe themselves by attempting to control their environments. This can include strict adherence to routines and micromanaging others/activities around them. Rigid thinking can make it difficult to see things from another person’s perspective and result in intolerance if typical schedules aren’t followed or are interrupted.
Sex and Intimacy
When you have anxiety, it’s not uncommon to have a low libido because how you feel affects your sex drive. It’s hard to relax and feel pleasure when you are constantly worried and fearful. Being anxious also makes it extremely hard to be vulnerable and let go. Both of these are necessary ingredients to fostering intimacy
By understanding how anxiety impacts your relationships, you can create positive changes within your relationship dynamic.
