If you struggle with anxiety, you know how difficult it can be to live with. It can cause discomfort in social situations, at your job, and in your relationships. Anxiety isn’t only difficult for those experiencing it though. It can be tough for their partners too. You may have a partner who suffers from anxiety. If so, you’ve likely experienced the difficulty of knowing how to support your partner. You’re not a counselor, and you might not know what your role is when your partner is feeling anxious. In this post, we will explain our tips on supporting your partner. And, helping them cope with their anxiety. We will also talk about the importance of taking care of yourself. This includes making sure that you’re mentally in a good state as well.
Tip #1) Realize That Their Anxiety is Not About You
One of the first things to understand is that when your partner is anxious, it’s not always about you. They’re feeling anxiety, but that doesn’t mean that you’ve done something to trigger it. Or, that their anxiety is a reflection of you or your relationship. It can be difficult not to take their anxiety on a personal level, but try to remind yourself that it’s not about you.
A helpful way to explain this is through “early amplifiers”.
We all have what we call early amplifiers, or wounds from our history and life experiences. When we encounter these “early amplifiers”, we react on an emotional level instead of acting with intent in a rational way. Some of those reactions show up as anxiety. This is because anxiety often deals with an early amplifier that triggers fear within us.
For example, let’s say that your partner had a parent or an ex-partner. This person would yell at them in the car about their driving. Something small like the speed they drove at or the way they let other cars pass them on the highway may cause their parent or ex-partner to react in a very harsh or even abusive way. Due to this, when you make a small and polite comment about your partner’s driving they might remember this experience and feel anxious. You might think that they’re overreacting. But for them, your comment brought back those feelings of fear and anxiety from their past experiences. Remember that their anxiety is not always about you.
Tip #2) Practice Self Care as a Partner
If you want to be present and available for your partner, you must take care of yourself. This means taking care of yourself on a mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual level. When we take care of ourselves, it allows us to be more present with our partners. When you are burnt out, you’re more likely to respond to your partner in a reactive way instead of in an affirming way. We can’t give what we don’t have. So, if we’re not taking care of ourselves we won’t be able to show up in the way that we want to for our partners.
We know that this might not come easy at first. Partners often put their own needs on hold to care for their anxiety-ridden partner. This might work for a little while, but in time it can lead to resentment or even break down the relationship. It’s necessary to put your needs first sometimes. To be the best partner that you can be, you need to make sure that you’re taking care of yourself as well.
Tip #3) Take a Yoga Class As a Couple
A great way to support a partner with anxiety is by taking a yoga class together. Now you might’ve heard this before and thought that it was a silly trend, but yoga has a lot of benefits. It helps people gain bodily awareness, practice breath control, and become more mindful via meditation. These are all tools that can be used to become more aware of ourselves. Especially when anxiety occurs. Breath control and meditation can also calm us when we start to feel anxious.
Taking a yoga class together allows for partnership and connection. It allows you can share a new experience with your partner. It will also give you both the opportunity to learn how to use yoga as a tool to cope with anxiety. Yoga is a way to support your partner that can also be beneficial for you.
Tip #4) Encourage Therapy, But Don’t Insist on It
If your partner is dealing with anxiety, one of the best things you can do is encourage them to go to therapy. But, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t insist or try to force your partner to start therapy. Unsolicited advice is always unwelcome. Plus, if you insist that your partner see a counselor you may only make them feel like more of a burden. If your partner is open to it, you can encourage the idea of therapy to help them manage their anxiety. But, remember that if they are not open to the idea, insisting on therapy will only amplify their negative feelings.
Begin Anxiety Treatment in Decatur, GA
Relationships take commitment in maintaining. I understand anxiety can cause relationship issues. I would be honored to assist you or an anxious partner. At my Decatur, GA-based therapy practice and across the state via online therapy I offer support. To start your therapy journey, please follow these simple steps:
1. Fill out an appointment request
2. Get to know your couples therapist
3. Start overcoming your anxiety symptoms
Other Services Offered at Faith and Family Empowerment
Anxiety treatment isn’t the only service I offer at my Decatur, GA-based practice. I offer a variety of services including Christian counseling, depression support groups, anxiety support groups, and marriage counseling. I also offer premarital counseling, discernment counseling, and counseling for affair recovery. Learn more by visiting my about, blog, or FAQ pages today!