How Does Anxiety
Affect Your Marriage?

Anxiety can drive a wedge into the healthiest of marriages. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America states that  40 million adults experience anxiety. If you or your partner has symptoms, you certainly aren’t alone. Life presents us with a lot of worries, when it comes to marriage there are a lot of inherent ones such as the unrelenting stresses coming from the various aspects of running a household. There are other stressors like financial concerns, relationship conflicts, job difficulties, social commitments, etc. that may complicate your lives. If anxiety has taken root in your relationship counseling could help. 

How Anxiety Can Affect Your Relationship

Even when one partner experiences anxiety, both of you are likely to feel its impact in the various aspects of your lives, individually and as a couple. Primarily, anxiety can impact a marriage by overwhelming you, affecting your physical, emotional and behavioral health. Here are a few ways by which anxiety can affect your relationship:

  • Anxiety can leave you feeling emotionally distanced from each other. Worries, apprehension and fears can damage your connection and ability to trust. You may begin to feel numb and distant. With anxiety coming in between you and your spouse it may feel difficult to connect and attune to the needs and feelings of your partner. In the heat of overwhelming symptoms, actual needs can become unrecognizable. This affects not only your day to day connection but can also impact your intimacy.
  • Anxiety can result in you being defensive. Overwhelmed with anxiety symptoms, you will most likely guard your emotions, holding back how you really feel. Recognizing and admitting your real feelings may not be that easy. When we don’t share how we feel we don’t get what we need. This can lead to resentment and defensiveness. When we are fearful we try to protect ourselves, you may begin to feel like you need to protect yourself with your partner which can breed more defensiveness. 
  • Anxiety can result in you feeling insecure or skeptical. Weighed down by fears, you will most likely doubt your judgment or ability to make healthy decisions. This can work against your interest, preventing you from effecting healthy change in your relationship, family or household. Stuck in the moment, you may feel hopeless and helpless. This can lead to further anxiety, overwhelm and even depression.
  • Anxiety can rob you of happiness. Overwhelmed with negative emotions and thoughts, you will most probably feel fearful a great deal of the time. When you’re stuck in worry and “what if” thinking it is difficult to enjoy your life and relationships. Anxiety can leave you feeling unable to be emotionally present, this makes it increasingly difficult to feel happiness.
  • Anxiety can bring about despondency and jealousy. Feeling anxious, there can be an increased need for affection and/or attention from your partner. If your other half does not respond with warmth and care, you may begin to feel insecure. Anxiety can intensify or magnify fears, giving you unrealistic interpretations of the things that your spouse may do or say. This can lead to worries about infidelity or your partner leaving when they have no intention of doing so.
  • Anxiety affects your functioning. Symptoms can impact your ability to do everyday tasks, you may have difficulty following up on your responsibilities. This may mean a shifting of duties or the need for additional support. Relationships are partnerships and without effective communication of your needs your partner may be left feeling that everything is falling on them.
  • Anxiety can be emotionally demanding for couples. Anxiety can affect anyone. When you have anxiety you may often experience edginess, jittery, stress, panic, etc., even when there is no identifiable reason to feel that way. It is hard to see someone you love struggle, especially if you are also feeling angry and resentful. Anxiety can take a toll on your relationship, but it doesn’t have to. Marriage counseling and individual counseling can help.

Counseling and Anxiety

Counseling can help if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety. You may be wondering if you should engage in individual counseling or marriage counseling to address the effects of anxiety. Individual counseling can help you to address your symptoms, learning healthy skills to work toward remission. Marriage counseling can help you to further address how anxiety may have affected your relationship and learn ways to communicate and resolve conflict together. 

The good news is you don’t have to choose. You can find a knowledgeable therapist contracted with Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC. Your therapist can work with you individually as well as with you and your partner. Your therapist doesn’t only have to see you individually, you can target anxiety with a variety of approaches with one skilled counselor. Call CCS today to get started.

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