Is your partner dealing with Anxiety? Here’s how you can help them!

Knowing what anxiety does to your partner and how it affects you

How to help your partner in their time of need?

What to say when your partner Is anxious

Things to avoid saying, when your partner is anxious

If you are dating someone who suffers from anxiety, one of the easiest and most helpful things you can do is educate yourself on anxiety and anxiety disorders. It can be beneficial to gain some clarity because many of us have preconceived notions about what anxiety is, that may not be accurate. Knowing about anxiety will also help you become more sympathetic. First, it can be useful to know that anxiety is quite common and that almost everyone will eventually develop an anxiety disorder. An anxiety disorder is not a sign of weakness, nor is it a result of making bad decisions. Additionally, anxiety is not “all in their brain.” The tendency to develop anxiety is frequently genetic, and anxiety disorders frequently run in families. Chemical imbalances and environmental factors might also be at play.

It will be easier for you to understand and support a loved one if you are aware of some basic information regarding anxiety.

Anxiety is a real issue, not a fiction. It has to do with mental wellness.
Anxiety is common. Everyone owns one. Only when there is extreme anxiety does it become a problem or a disorder.
Anxiety can be a severe mental illness that makes it difficult for a person to function and lead a regular life.
When someone is anxious, they respond in a fight-or-flight manner and become stressed out by non-life-threatening situations, such as worrying about a spouse cheating on them or
Anxiety cannot be “fixed” or “cured.”
Despite having anxiety, millions of people are content and in fulfilling relationships.
Anxiety symptoms might come on suddenly, continuously, or both. There are times when people with anxiety problems or concerns don’t exhibit any symptoms.
Anxiety lacks logic and reason. It makes people worry about something even when there is no reason to believe it is important enough to worry about. They also occasionally behave irrationally as a result of it. Most likely, your partner is aware of this.
Anxiety is not a sign of weakness.

Anxiety may be managed. Psychotherapy can help patients manage their symptoms better while also reducing their severity.

Knowing what anxiety does to your partner and how it affects you

If you are dating someone who struggles with anxiety, it is likely that your partner spends a lot of time worrying and reflecting on all the possible negative outcomes of the relationship. Here are some instances of unfavourable ideas and queries that may be going through their heads:

What if their love for me is less than I have for them?
What if they are misleading me?
What if they are hiding something from me?
What happens if they cheat on me?
What if they intend to hurt me?
But what if they prefer someone else?

Physical symptoms brought on by the anxious thoughts includes breathlessness, sleeplessness, and anxiety or panic attacks. A person with anxiety may respond to relationship tension by running away or fighting it, as if it were a physical assault. Your partner may occasionally act in ways that stress you out and put stress on your relationship as a result of worried thoughts.

How to help your partner in their time of need?

Do show your concern while not touching the sore point of what is making them anxious: It’s crucial to express your concern to your partner if you notice them becoming anxious or tense without adding to their tension. Your lover could occasionally worry about not worrying you! Ask them whether they are feeling okay at this time and if there is anything you can do to help. They might decline, especially if your relationship has just begun. And that’s all right! hear them without bias.
Do focus on ways to manage your own anxiety: One of the finest things you can do when you see your partner’s anxiousness getting worse is to refrain from acting out and getting stressed out. Try yoga or an exercise for progressive muscle relaxation. Simple meditation techniques can also be incredibly effective at lowering anxiety.
Understand that they are not their disorder: Try to keep your partner’s anxiety disorder apart from them while you are talking to them and in your own head. Yes, it affects how they live, but it’s a disorder, not a way they are. The more compassionate course of action is to treat people who experience anxiety as whole people who also happen to have an anxiety disorder. People who experience anxiety are so much more than their anxiety. Additionally, they are not using anxiety to manipulate others or objectives. The desire to be free of anxiety is shared by those who experience it, yet having an anxiety illness is not something that can be changed.
Recognize that they have specific triggers: Understanding your partner’s anxiety causes will help you manage it. Typically, an anxious person is aware of the kind of triggers that will send them into a downward spiral. While it’s not your duty to protect them from all triggers, it can be beneficial to assist them in living more sensibly around those triggers. It can also assist you in comprehending why your partner’s anxiety changes throughout the day.

What to say when your partner Is anxious

“I’m here and I’m listening”
“It’s going to be okay”
“This will pass and I’m not leaving you”
“I want you to look me in the eye and breathe”
“You’ll be alright and I’m here for you”

Things to avoid saying, when your partner is anxious

“Stop being so afraid of everything”
“That is ridiculous”
“You’re stressing out without purpose”
“All of this is in your head”
“Stop overreacting”

It can be challenging to date someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, and you might experience strong reactions to their behaviour. This is understandable and common. It is crucial to take some time to exercise self-care and empathy for oneself.

You might want to think about going to counselling or therapy if you find it challenging to handle or if you catch yourself acting in unhelpful ways in response to your partner’s fear. Encourage your partner to seek help if their anxiety is affecting both their personal lives and your relationship. You want to present things in the most sympathetic and compassionate manner possible. Therapy and medicine are the two most successful approaches to treating anxiety. Treatment by itself can be beneficial for some people, but most frequently, therapy and medication work well. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy are the two most frequently utilised methods of therapy to manage anxiety. Anti-anxiety medications, such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants (SSRIs), and beta-blockers, are among the drugs used to treat anxiety.

Therapy is a great way to address any form of anxiety. Talk to our wellness experts at Ganeshaspeaks.com by downloading the app.