A relationship brings joy, security, moral support, and happiness. Trust, scarification, and love are essential in any relationship, whether it is between friends, family, or with your partner. If your relationship is healthy, it will be evident in your behavior, but for some people, it can be a breeding ground for anxious emotions and thoughts. Anxiety about a relationship can occur at any point in time. It is that feeling where you are constantly feeling unsettled.
It can happen to anyone. When you are in a great relationship with someone you love, you enjoy the communication between them and trust each other. Still, you are also uncomfortable or disturbed and constantly questioning the relationship. This is where relationship anxiety sets in.
What is relationship anxiety?
Relationship anxiety is characterized by feelings of constant worry, insecurity, and doubt about one’s partner and their relationship. It appears when everything is going swimmingly. You may cling to the other person to keep them close or drive them away, undecided if they share the same feelings you do.
Is it ok to have relationship anxiety?
Relationship anxiety is entirely normal. People experience such anxiety at any point in their relationship. Some share it at the beginning because they are unfamiliar with their partner. In contrast, others face it in the middle when they know everything about each other but still have doubts about their relationship. However, relationship anxiety becomes a problem when it is extreme because it lasts long enough to inhibit relationship growth or interfere with other aspects of your life. Insecurity in relationships can increase stress and influence how you perceive your feelings and emotions.
Following are some signs of relationship anxiety.
- Constantly having doubts about their partner
Many people are constantly concerned about whether or not their partner truly loves them. They are constantly seeking reassurance from them in this regard. People with such feelings are continually checking in on their partner, where they are, and why they are not picking up the phone, and are so obsessed with their partner that they don’t think twice about checking their call logs or texts.
Anxious people have trust issues; they always have the impression that their partner will find someone better than them, and now their love is exactly how it should be.
- Doubt about love for each other
You constantly wonder if they genuinely love you or want to end the relationship: Someone suffering from relationship anxiety may wonder if their partner loves them or if they are waiting for an excuse to end the relationship.
They don’t respond to texts over many hours, if not days. You wanted to know if their emotions have changed when they unexpectedly seem distant.
Everyone has these worries from time to time, but if you have relationship anxiety, it can become a fixation.
- Constant disputes over minor issues
When anxiety strikes, people are unsure of what they are doing and are prone to picking fights over trivial matters. According to experts, doing so helps people who are anxious to relax. This fight turns into a regular one when people start yelling at each other, constantly blaming each other, and saying things that hurt each other’s feelings, resulting in a large fight. However, an apology brings everything back to normal.
- Overthinking
When you reach the pinnacle of relationship anxiety, you begin to overthink every word your partner says. You are not taking anything usually and start to react to any minor gesture made by your partner. You try to add a second meaning to every word your partner says. This type of behaviour causes trust issues among the partners and harms their relationship.
How exactly can you overcome relationship anxiety?
- Try to maintain your identity
Everything changes when you’re in a relationship with both partners. However, you must be cautious of the changes. As your relationship develops, you discover that you are perfectly matched and compatible. It would help if you changed some of your habits, and you may experience shifting independence as you make room for your partner. At such times, you must maintain your individuality while not allowing your self-esteem to interfere with your relationship.
- Tolerate pain or distress
If you are distressed about a fight or in pain and have doubts about your partner’s behaviour, try to give yourself a minute instead of checking their text or call logs. Think a hundred times before acting, as it could ruin a previously successful relationship. After taking your time to calm down by starting with one minute, two, and then five minutes, the chain of your bad habit and distress will eventually break. To overcome this, you can also try meditation or deep breathing. Through this practice, you can save your relationship that may come to an end by all the anxiety.
- More Mindful
Not everything in a relationship goes as smoothly or lightly as you planned. There are ups and downs because they are both new to each other, and it takes time to get to know each other. Always train your mind to see positive thoughts and, if negative thoughts arise, try to figure them out without judgment. It can also help you prioritize your daily interactions with your partner.
- Talk to therapists
If you’re having trouble dealing with relationship anxiety, talking to a therapist can help you get rid of it quickly. They can assist you in understanding each other’s feelings. They always hear both sides of the story before reaching any conclusions. They will offer you options and demonstrate care in various ways to make you feel safe and help you relax. According to studies, you do not need many sessions. A single session appears to be very effective
- Express gratitude to the person who looks after you.
People who suffer from anxiety are so preoccupied with their own thoughts and worries that they don’t care about the people around them. But you should make time for those people and express your gratitude to them because they are genuine people who genuinely care about you. This feeling not only makes you happy, but it also makes the people you care about happy.
Conclusion
A relationship can change you in many ways, and relationship anxiety does not go away entirely in a short period. However, there are specific ways that you can enjoy being in a relationship.
