It can be hard living with a spouse who is struggling with anxiety 24/7. Helping a spouse with anxiety can take a toll. If you don't have adequate self-care or support, this can cause mental health challenges for you as well. Invest in your mental health.
Taking care of a partner with an anxiety disorder can be like filling up a bottomless bucket. It feels like you're giving more than you can, but all your love, kindness, understanding, and patience is not enough. It is important to remember that no matter how much you try, you alone cannot cure someone else's anxiety.
Unfortunately, people who suffer from anxiety are less likely to have to stay in healthy intimate relationships than those who do not. They are twice more likely than others to run into challenges like frequent arguments, intimacy or communication problems, and social withdrawal.
Dating someone with an anxiety disorder can be difficult, and you may find yourself having intense reactions to what is going on with your partner. This is normal and understandable. Taking some moments to practice some self-care and empathy for yourself is vital.
The spouse or partner may become the sole breadwinner at times — often a stressful role and one the partner may not wish to have. Social life — People with anxiety disorders often avoid routine social activities. Unfortunately, the partner's social life can suffer as well, making both feel isolated.
Whether you're anxious about the relationship itself or matters outside of it (or, let's be honest, both), the condition can affect your bond with your partner for better or for worse in a number of ways.
Causes of Controlling Behavior
The most common are anxiety disorders and personality disorders. People with anxiety disorders feel a need to control everything around them in order to feel at peace. They may not trust anyone else to handle things the way they will.
Focus on validation and hopeful comments. Try saying “I hear you're feeling really frightened” or “I have faith you'll get through this difficult period.” Avoid comments that call the person's feelings into question. Don't say, “Just stop worrying.
Studies have shown that people who suffer from mental illness have a higher rate of divorce. One study that was conducted in 2011 actually put that divorce rate increase at between 20 to 80 percent.
Anxiety and anxious feelings can affect every part of your life—even your sex life. Whether you have anxious feelings or a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder, these emotions can be trouble for connecting with your partner and experiencing pleasure.
Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are known to experience impairment in various aspects of their lives, including relationships with relatives, friends, and partners. If you live with GAD, you may be prone to marital distress and be at greater risk of divorce.
Anxiety can lead to excessive worry, anger, or irritability. Constantly seeking reassurance can be stressful for both people in the relationship and contribute to arguments. On the other hand, anxiety can also contributes to avoidance and detachment, which makes it hard to form a meaningful connection.
Research has indicated that individuals with high emotional reactivity (high neuroticism) and introverted tendencies (low extroversion) are more likely to experience anxiety than other personality types [101].
People who manipulate could even have the best of intentions, but still act in a deceptive manner. These behaviors are very common for individuals with insecurities or anxiety disorders.
Avoidant personality disorder
We all have things, places or people we don't like, or which make us anxious. But if these things cause so much anxiety that you struggle to maintain relationships in your life, you may get a diagnosis of avoidant personality disorder (sometimes also called anxious personality disorder).
Symptoms of relationship anxiety may include self-silencing and excessive reassurance-seeking. People with relationship anxiety may also crave acceptance from their partner and fear rejection. These symptoms can negatively impact the relationship over time.
Trust issues can also be linked with: Depression. Adjustment disorders (difficulty dealing with certain stresses) Anxiety.
Some people are afraid that their partner will leave them. Some people experience anxiety because their partner is "too" something - too rich, too good-looking, too busy, too talkative, etc. The partner (boyfriend, husband, girlfriend, wife) has qualities that lead to anxiety.
Anxiety disorders are a type of mental health condition. Anxiety makes it difficult to get through your day. Symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear as well as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. Treatments include medications and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Dating someone with anxiety can feel very overwhelming and stressful, especially once your partner's behavior shifts. They may start to shut down, pull away, and behave in a passive-aggressive manner, or they may become more controlling, angry, or overly critical.
Catchings suggests being “kind, empathetic, and firm.” You want to follow the general rules of breaking up without being a jerk: be completely open and honest, do it in person (don't you dare think about doing it over text message), listen to what they have to say, and don't give them mixed signals after the breakup.
There are ways that you can help someone with anxiety or depression. It may be helpful to: let them know if you've noticed a change in their behaviour. spend time talking about their experiences and let them know you're there to listen without being judgmental.