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How Anxiety Can Affect Relationships

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If you have an anxiety disorder, you likely know firsthand that it can affect many parts of your life in a negative way, and relationships are no exception. There are a few ways anxiety can affect your relationships, but the good news is there are ways of dealing with the issues. You can still have great connections with your loved ones and avoid creating any unhealthy attachments.

Dealing with Anxiety

Dealing with your feelings of anxiety can help you develop better, stronger relationships with those around you. One way of doing that is to use prescription beta-blockers on an as-needed basis, especially doing big moments. These can keep you from feeling nervous so you can focus on the task at hand. Beta-blockers are trusted by professionals to block symptoms of nerves, like racing heart and shaking hands. There are a few you might want to look into, and propranolol is an off-label prescription for anxiety, and is often recommended by doctors.

Being Too Dependent

When you have anxiety, it’s easy to become too dependent. That’s because you might want to become closer to your friends, family, or partner. You might need them to offer reassurance and support all the time since you might tend to overthink things. Someone with anxiety is often indecisive and needs constant communication, since they often fear rejection. They might feel angry toward those they are dependent on, and this can cause relationship destruction.

The good news is there are ways of combatting this, especially if you try to deal with the root problem, which is your anxiety. It’s important to try to rely on yourself to feel better because this can reduce the pressure on your loved ones. People who find themselves getting suspicious or angry should remind themselves that anxiety might be leading to these feelings. It’s a good idea to think about the facts instead of your feelings, since this will help you gain some perspective. Some who have anxiety, benefit from counseling or therapy. Getting therapy can help you learn better ways of reassuring yourself so you can begin to take action for yourself instead of relying on those around you.

Becoming Avoidant

If being too dependent sounds like the complete opposite of you, you could struggle with becoming too avoidant. You might find yourself trying to avoid negative feelings, such as frustrating, nervousness, or disappointment. It’s easy to fall into the trap of never revealing how you feel or being vulnerable with your loved ones. If you struggle with avoidance, people around you may feel you are cold or don’t have empathy. 

Some people with avoidance also come across as stand-offish or emotionally unstable. You might want to be close but struggle to do so. There are a couple of things you can do if you struggle with this issue. You might want to look into behavioral therapy combined with other kinds of therapy. You can speak with a mental health professional to help you look into how you relate to others, as well as what emotions you have around these connections.