Emily Rosen

Anxiety is a condition that complicates matters on a level that is both frustrating and discouraging for the person dealing with it. They might think, “I just have to finish this task,” and still be grappling with their anxiety about that task hour or even days later.

In a relationship, having anxiety can boost patterns of overthinking, low self-confidence, jealousy, clinginess, and others that can have a damaging effect on the partnership.

Luckily, anxiety in a relationship is not a death sentence for your love life. Anxiety is an obstacle that you will have to overcome, make no mistake

Picture a relationship between two anxious people. Neither of them has ever spoken to the other about their anxiety and what it causes them to think and feel when the other is upset. When person A is upset, person B notices and immediately becomes concerned because they think it is about them. Person A allows themselves to keep stewing on the problem, suffering in silence because their anxiety keeps them from speaking to person B about the things that are bothering them.

Now, let’s evaluate the state of things. Person A is stuck in their own head about a big problem they’re having and person B has assigned all the blame to themselves without even the hint of confirmation from their partner that that’s why they’re upset. Now it’s been hours since they spoke and neither of them really knows what’s going on with the other. It’s a mess!

Downplaying a problem that is very clearly a big deal to them, because they don’t want to take up space with the person they’re talking to, by telling them about a big problem they’re having.

Something to bear in mind about relationships is that they’re connected to a lot of other parts of each person’s life. If someone is unhappy in their relationship, that can ripple outward and affect many other areas of their lives in ways that might be hard to anticipate. If you spend a little bit extra effort every time you see your partner, to help them, to compliment them, and to inspire them to make even better moves in life, that all ripples outward and can pay off in a huge way over time

Don’t spend any more time letting your anxiety push you around and control your relationship, your success, and your life. You deserve to be happy and it’s something you can achieve on your own. You’re stronger than your anxiety wants you to think you are and you’re capable of so much more than you ever thought possible

the best thing to do when you first get into a new relationship is to observe your partner. You don’t need to be overly clinical, you don’t need to overthink what you see, but make sure that if there are problematic behaviors there that you are inclined to excuse because they’re just so cute and sweet, keep an eye on those.

Getting into a relationship with someone is undertaking the possibility that you will be a part of their life for a very long time. Doing so means that you will need to become invested in their life, you will need to take an active interest in their health and well-being, and you will need to make sure that you’re getting back the same kind of investment that you’re putting in. This is what is meant by the often nebulous saying, “a relationship is a give and take.”