Ways to Manage Anxiety in Love Relationships

It's no secret that managing anxiety in love relationships can be tricky. That's because nothing can trigger anxiety like the intimacy and vulnerability of a relationship. It takes a lot for an anxious person to risk having their anxiety seen by an intimate partner, and that's why it's crucial to have some ways to manage anxiety when you find yourself in a love relationship.

I've had (and continue to have) my own struggles with how to manage anxiety in my love relationships. I'm currently seeing a woman after a romantic hiatus of about two years, and, of course, I'm nervous about how it might affect my anxiety disorder. I've not had a great track record when it comes to anxiety and relationships. Love relationships have often triggered severe depression and self-destructive behaviors like self-medicating for anxiety. I'm hopeful that I can apply what I've learned about managing my generalized anxiety disorder in this new relationship.

You Can Manage Anxiety in Love Relationships in Several Ways

• Tell your partner about your mental illness -- Often, both people in the relationship will not have anxiety disorder, which leaves it up to the anxiety sufferer to educate their partner. Even if your partner doesn't have personal experience, they should still be able to offer sympathy and support. If your partner isn't at least capable of sympathy, consider finding a different partner.
• Foster communication --You'll need to be able to talk about your anxiety with your partner, at least some of the time. It's not like the relationship needs to become a vessel for your anxiety, but you'll need to be able to speak honestly about feeling anxious from time to time. That's why it's important that your relationship has some room for open, honest communication for both people.
• Stay grounded in your own life -- One of the best ways to manage your anxiety in a love relationship is to stay grounded within your own life. Maintain your individuality and keep your focus on yourself. This includes making time for your own friends, your family, your own interests, and spending time alone. This also helps to avoid codependency, which can be destructive for any type of relationship.
• Spend time apart -- My new partner spends quite a bit of time out of town because of her job, which I am actually quite grateful for. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder, and, seeing as how we both have issues with anxiety, it also helps to regulate our painful emotions. A healthy love relationship includes time spent apart from one another.

Anxious people deserve love and intimacy as much as anyone else. Unfortunately, being in a relationship when you have anxiety disorder forces you to cope with an extra layer of challenge and complexity. But, when you're able to find ways of managing your anxiety in your love relationships, you can experience the rewards of being close with someone you care about. And that's a very encouraging thought.

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