Anxiety is unpredictable, confusing and intrusive. It’s tough. Not just for the people who have it but also for the people who love them. If you are one of those people, you would know too well that the second hand experience of anxiety feels bad enough – you’d do anything to make it better for the one going through it.
We all have our ‘stuff’ – the things that we struggle with. Ultimately, they are the things that will make us braver, wiser, stronger, more compassionate and better humans. It’s just the way it works. The difference with anxiety is that the struggle is more visible.
Whether we struggle with anxiety, confidence, body image – whatever – there are things that we all need to make the world a little bit safer, a little bit more predictable, a little less scary. We all have our list. When someone you love has anxiety, their list is likely to look at little like this:
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It’s no biggie. So don’t act like it is.
In the thick of an anxiety attack nothing will make sense, so best not to ask what’s going on or if they’re okay. No. They won’t be okay. And yes. It will feel like the world is falling apart at the seams. They’ll be feeling awful, but they’ll get through it. If you’ve seen it all before there’ll be no need to ask anyway – and they’ll love that you know not to. Ask if they want to go somewhere else – maybe somewhere quieter or more private. Don’t panic or do anything that might give them the idea that you need looking after. Go for a walk with them – physical activity is the natural end of the fight or flight response, which is the trigger point of anxiety. Otherwise just be there. They’ll know what to do. They’ll have done it plenty of times before. Soon it will pass and when it does they’ll be able to talk to you about what has happened, but wait for that. Then listen. We all love when someone is able to just be there.
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There’s a bit to know, so if you can understand everything you can … well that makes you kind of awesome.
It makes a difference to be able to talk about anxiety without having to explain it. On the days they don’t feel like they have it in them to talk about it, it means a lot that you just ‘get it’. If you’ve tried to understand everything you can about what it means to have anxiety then that’s enough. Anxiety is hard to make sense of – people with anxiety will be the first to tell you that – but it will mean everything that you’ve tried. They’ll love you for it.
[irp posts=”1100″ name=”The Things I’ve Learned About Anxiety – That Only People With Anxiety Could Teach Me”]
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It’s physical.
Anxiety is a completely normal physical response to a brain that’s being a little over-protective. It’s not crazy and it’s not deficient. There’s a primitive part of the brain that’s geared to sense threat. It’s all action and not a lot of thought and it’s in all of us. For some people, it fires up a lot sooner and with a lot less reason than it does in others. When it does, it surges the body with cortisol (the stress hormone) and adrenalin to get the body ready to run for its life or fight for it. This is the fight or flight response and it’s in everyone. It’s just that in some people (people with anxiety) the ‘go’ button is a bit more sensitive.
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You’ll want them as part of your tribe. (Seriously. They’re pretty great to have around.)
Because of their need to stay safe and to prepare against the next time anxiety rears its head, people who struggle with anxiety will generally have a plan – and they will have worked hard to make sure it works for everyone involved, not just for themselves. They’ll make sure everything has been organised to keep everyone safe, happy, on time and out of trouble. They’ll make sure everyone has what they need and if there’s anything that hasn’t been thought of, well it’s probably not worth thinking about. Notice the good things they do – there are plenty. Let them know you love them because of who they are, including who they are with anxiety, not despite it.
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Anxiety has nothing to do with courage or character. Nothing at all.
Courage is feeling the edge of yourself and moving beyond it. We all have our limits but people with anxiety are just more aware of theirs. Despite this, they are constantly facing up to the things that push against their edges. That’s courage, and people with anxiety have it in truckloads. Remind them that you see who they are and that this has nothing to do with that anxiety thing they do sometimes. People with anxiety are strong – you have to be to live with something like that. They’re sensitive – they’ll be as sensitive to you and what you need as they are to their environment. That makes them pretty awesome to be with. They’re reliable – to control for the potential of something triggering an attack, anxious people will go the extra step to make sure there’s a plan and that everyone is safe, happy and have everything they need. They’re intelligent – they’re thinkers (which is what gets in their way sometimes). They can be funny, kind, brave and spirited. So I suppose it’s like this – they’re no different to anyone else. As with everyone, the thing that trips them up sometimes (their anxiety) is also the thing that lifts them above the crowd.
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Make sure there’s room to say ‘no’. And don’t take it personally.
Sometimes plans might need to be changed to steer clear of anxiety stepping in unexpectedly. People with anxiety will be sensitive to your needs (they’re pretty great like that) and changing plans isn’t something they’ll do lightly. Your flexibility will never be taken for granted. There are many things in the environment that most people think nothing of, but which can be the beginning of an anxiety attack for a brain on hyper-drive. Things that are ambiguous or neutral can sometimes be read as a threat – not by the person, but by an overprotective brain. People with anxiety are super-aware of everything going on – smells, sounds, people, possibilities. It’s exhausting when your attention is drawn to so many things. Don’t take ‘no’ personally – they’re never meant like that. Know that just because they might not want to be doing what you’re doing, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be with you. Keep offering – don’t assume everything you offer will be met with ‘no’ – but be understanding and ‘no big deal’ if you aren’t taken up on your offer. They are saying no to a potential anxiety attack. Not to you.
[irp posts=”824″ name=”Anxiety in Kids: How to Turn it Around and Protect Them For Life”]
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Loads of lovin’ never hurt anyone.
Be compassionate and be there. Talk up the things you love about them. There will be times that people with anxiety will feel like they are their anxiety and that they are a source of difficulty. (Who hasn’t felt like they’re making things harder than they need to be? C’mon be honest.) Specifically, I’m talking about when plans have to be changed, when you need to book a few rows back from the front row, turn the radio down, take the long way. If this is the worst you have to deal with in a friend, sign me up.
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Anxiety can change shape.
Anxiety can be slippery. Sometimes it looks the way you’d expect anxiety to look. Other times it looks cranky, depressed or frustrated. Remember this and don’t take it personally.
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Don’t try to make sense of what’s happening.
People with anxiety know that their anxiety doesn’t make sense. That’s what makes it so difficult. Explaining that there’s nothing to worry about won’t mean anything – it just won’t – because they already know this. (Oh boy do they know this!) They would have told themselves not to worry a billion times the number of times you’ve said it to them. If it hasn’t helped so far then one more won’t make a difference. Be understanding, calm and relaxed and above all else, just be there. Anxiety feels flighty and there’s often nothing that feels better than having someone beside you who’s grounded, available and okay to go through this with you without trying to change you. Telling them not to worry is as effective as asking you not to think about pink elephants. Really try not to think about pink elephants swinging from a vine. With flowers in their hair. Just stop thinking about them, those crazy big pink babes. See how that works?
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Don’t try to change them.
You’ll want to give advice. But don’t. Let them know that to you, they’re absolutely fine the way they are and that you don’t need to change them or fix them. If they ask for your advice then of course, go for it. but otherwise, let them know that they are enough. More than enough actually. Just the way they are.
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‘You just need to get over it,’ said the person who doesn’t get it.
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Anxiety just happens and often there’s no real target. So if you’re suggesting they just need to ‘get over it’, the obvious question is get over what? If people with anxiety only needed a bit of direction to ‘get over it’, they would have given it to themselves and been over it long ago. Telling them to get over it is like telling them they’re doing something wrong. You don’t tell an asthmatic just to breathe. Tough love isn’t love. It’s just tough. Actually it isn’t even that.
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Don’t confuse their need to control their environment with their need to control you. Sometimes they look the same. They’re not.
The need to control for everything that might go wrong is hard work. For the same reasons that drive anxious people to make sure that everyone has what they need, everyone is looked after, that things are under control and the likelihood of anything turning bad is minimised – for the same reasons you’re looked after – you might also feel controlled. See it for what it is. It’s the need to feel safe and in control of the possibility of anxiety running the show – not the need to control you. You might get frustrated – that’s okay – all relationships go through that. Having compassion doesn’t mean you have to go along with everything put in front of you, so talk things out gently if you need to. Don’t be critical though. Nobody likes that. Just remember, while your resistance might look more like a ‘won’t’ theirs looks more like a ‘can’t’.
And finally …
Know how important you are to them. Anyone who stays around through the hard stuff is a keeper. People with anxiety know this. Being there for someone during their struggles will only bring the relationship closer. Nothing sparks a connection more than really getting someone, being there, and bringing the fun into the relationship – because you’ve gotta have fun. Be the one who refuses to let anxiety suck the life of out everything. And know you’re a keeper. Yep. You are. Know that they are grateful – so grateful – for everything you do. And that they love you back.
This is so amazing. It has a lot of fact in it.
I will say if your SO or family member has anxiety the biggest and strongest question you can ask is “how can I help when you are experiencing it on high? What do you need from me at that time?”
Each person is different and each anxiety is different. There is normally a deep emotional or physical cause that triggered it to begin with. For me it was 25+ years of emotional abuse from a stepmom who hates me and a husband who just wanted an out from the barracks. My anxiety is a constant, on occasion I will get an “attack” but mostly its a constant feeling like something is going to go wrong.
If your person needs reassurance, don’t doubt them or doubt in general. Don’t get frustrated with them. We sometimes just need to make sure our constants are good. Atleast for me making sure those relationships that I cherish most are well taken care of nurtured is so important to my over all well-being. More times than not it has nothing to do with you. We understand it comes across as needy. We understand its exhausting. We understand that its a fear of the past repeating itself and that isn’t fair to you. But we love and cherish stronger because of our anxiety and if you can handle us at our “worst” we cherish you and your love more than you could ever know.
The biggest thing is patience and understanding. The want to understand them and what you can do in moments of extreme anxiety and in general is more appreciated than you will ever know.
Reading this article has totally resonated with my situation. My partner has bad anxiety and feel like i’m walking on eggshells half the time. I feel this has been heightened by both working from home for the past year in a small flat with little space for alone time. She’s a beautiful soul, always putting others before herself. This is partly my downfall though as I can’t match those levels of thought i’m constantly being called selfish. Her anxiety is very bad at times, she puts so much pressure on herself at work and everything has to be planned to the exact detail. If I go and see her while shes working I get a snappy response about leaving her alone as shes mega busy, which then triggers a breakdown in our relationship. I’m a lot better at understanding her situation now and leave her too it with work or try and spot signs when her anxiety is creeping up on her. All this is fine, and I admit I have much more to learn about her situation as I am naturally a very positive and outgoing person with a big social group, I sometime find it hard to empathize. I guess my main problem is that I feel for an easier life I should keep quiet and going back to the treading on eggshells I feel this a lot of the time. I do love her so much and she’s a lovely person who as I say would do anything for anyone. Its just very hard and draining.
I’ve been living with my boyfriend for two years, and the pandemic and losing his job has triggered his depression even worse. He was diagnosed with depression and anxiety when he was younger, but his parents didn’t think it was a real issue. He won’t see a therapist because he said they have never helped him in the past. I’m at the point where I am feeling truly defeated every time he has an episode, because I also freeze up and I can’t be his emotional punching bag anymore. He’s constantly putting himself down and I’m constantly reassuring him that he’s a smart, good looking person. He has a good heart, and I know there’s so much potential to have a great future together, but I have no idea what to say anymore when he’s freaking out. I’m constantly making sure he has a comfortable place to live and feel safe, but his emotions are so intense, he can’t handle it if I happen to have a bad day and need a hug once in a while. It’s like my feelings don’t matter because I’m not the one with depression and anxiety.
Hey Natalie,
I just wanted to comment to let you know that you aren’t alone. Your line about feeling like your feelings don’t matter because you’re not the one with anxiety really hit home for me. Please know that they really, really do matter and that you matter.
This will not get better because of anything that you do or don’t do. It’s up to him. All the love and support and understanding in the world won’t fix this. He has to seek help and find what works for him. That’s his responsibility, not yours.
And you’re probably confused about whether or not you’re selfish for thinking about a life without your partner, but here’s the thing, if this is a disease and he’s not doing anything to help himself, then you have to have a bottom line. If he had cancer and refused treatment, would you stick around? If he was an alcoholic and refused professional help, would you stand by him and enable him, or would you draw a line in the sand?
Sending you positive vibes and virtual hugs.
I totally understand how you feel, my fiancé struggles in the same way, no matter how much I tell her I love her, or her boss compliments her, friends tell her how awesome she is, she’s somehow not good enough for her own impossible standards.
It’s really difficult to continue to hear somebody you hold in such high regard, continuously put themselves down. Your point about becoming an emotional punching bag really resonated with me, sometimes it feels like my life is spent trying to cheer her up, or reassuring her, like there is only enough space for her emotions in the relationship.
With all of that said, I love her completely, and I understand that this behaviour isn’t a choice, which makes it even more difficult. I’m looking for better coping mechanisms, and have started seeing a therapist myself which has really helped.
So anyway, I wanted you to know that you’re not alone going through this, as it’s a really common situation to be in.
Hope things improve for you 🙂
I feel like I just read word for word exactly what is happening to me and my partner at the moment. I’m lost aswell for what to do but just know you are not alone in how you feel.
Interesting to read your story Natalie, I am in the same situation. The pandemic has exacerbated everything! Each day is a battle for him. He won’t do anything g I suggest, go for a walk etc. We never spend any time together during the day it’s always a weekend night! When he goes into himself I too freeze unable to offer emotional support. I don’t know why! If it was a friend I know I would be checking in with them all the time. He pushes me away! He Won’t contact me for days and I have to wait until he’s ready to make contact. It makes me feel like there is not two people in the relationship. I feel like my feelings are invalid…….! I talk about my day he’s not actually listening to what I am saying! I find myself getting frustrated and angry!
Girl, I have been there. Take care of yourself! You can’t fix him, and only you know when it’s time to let go or stay. But whatever you do, please be kind to yourself, you deserve as much.
Hi Natalie, i was just curious how things were going?
My husband is goong through anxiety. I have tried to help him. But didnt know how ecxactly i can deal with it. Should i tell him that its effecting me also, as i feel frustated and ddont wamt to talk with him when he have sudden mood swings. After that i didnt talk to him for 2 3 three days and it is damaging me also.
I am feeling the exact same thing Natalie. I freeze up too and feel like I am walking on egg shells when he has an episode. I am scared of saying anything since anything i say will be misinterpreted and questioned.
I am in the same situation you are
It took me a while to realize how hard it was on my husband that he had to act as my support and that I would freak out if he was the one feeling sad or frustrated on occasion. It sounds terrible now but at the time I was too anxious to realize his needs. Finding the right therapist can be tough. Affording anxiety meds can be an issue. Seeking the help from a mental health hotline can be a good start if a therapist isn’t an option at first. Any safety valve so that the SO isn’t “on duty” all the time. Community Health centers usually have a sliding scale for people without insurance and they tend to keep up with best practices in their field. When I had my daughter I realized it was the breaking point for both me and my husband and going on anxiety meds allowed me to think clearly once again so now there are many techniques I can practice rather than constant meltdowns.
Thinking of you Nat.
This articles biggest point I got out of it was the fight or flight….for both of us. Let me explain.
My wife has all but given up in everything. I think this is her flight reaction. I am frozen with no direction when everything I do, or offer, is always the opposite of what she wants in that instance. (If I ever get it right, I might be at about 20% right and 80% wrong on my guesses) Does that mean I have anxiety? I don’t think I do.
This pandemic has exasperated the feeling of her giving up. She doesn’t want to do anything, watch anything, take care of our son, decide on dinners. She wants to sleep and play video games. I’ve tried bribing her with her favourite meals, I’ve had to push her out the door to see friends she wants to see, but the long drive gives her anxiety. I tried to hold her hand on the drive, as much as I could, but I need both hands to drive. I give her small tasks, so she has a sense of accomplishment, but she’s managed to bungle up most of them or she forgets, I just pick up the slack and pieces. She feels worse for screwing up these small things and feels bad, and as frustrated as I am with having to do every little task, I (kind of) get it. Am I wrong to help nudge her? It seems every nudge, regardless of direction, is always the wrong answer. If I don’t nudge her, she says I should know better and be more supportive, if I nudge her and she fails, it’s my fault for pushing her, she told me she didn’t want to do it. If I support her in cleaning the kitchen, setting the table, vacumming the house before her big Christmas dinner and leave some chocolates on the table she asks, “is that your contribution to the whole dinner?”. I don’t want to take it personally, but her snide remarks are attacking me personally. How does everyone supporting with those loved ones who have anxiety, deal with it? I’d really like to know how to “not take it personally”. I didn’t react negatively, I just let it slide off my back, and said, “your dad will love them.”
What do you say when the person with anxiety gets very upset? I’m constantly getting yelled at for “standing there with nothing to say”. I don’t know what to say, I have a million thoughts running through me, but everyone of them would probably make things worse when we argue. It’s rarely an argument, it’s more like her being upset with something or me and yelling at me and then pulling everything out for the last 17 years that I have ever said or done that offended her. I can’t win against a list that only gets longer each time and the stories get twisted over time. If I try to hug her and tell her it will be alright, she pushes me away. If I don’t hug her, she’ll say, “can’t you see I just need a hug! don’t just stand there”. I’m also frozen. I’m normally the kind of guy who believes growth only comes if you will make yourself uncomfortable. But I’m frozen when it comes to her anxiety because I am always wrong in my words and action. I don’t find all her arguments logical, and I can’t argue against something illogical. That’s not how my brain works. Her memories are spotty in places, partially from therapy, partially from meds, partially from over exhaustion when she was a new mom. I don’t even want to argue, I’m not even the kind of guy who wants to fight about anything, I just want to know what I can do to fix it, which I know I can’t, but now it has me frozen. When I am the one to vent, that’s all I want, is what we can do together to make it better in the future. She knows how I think and can ask, but she gives up as soon as she realizes it’s not simple, like her refusing to live within a budget because tracking expenses and receipts are a lot of work. I want to hug it away, or give her space, whatever she needs, but I’m wrong 80% of the time, how can I pick? Between the extra chores, and taking care of our son, I’m awake most days from 7am to midnight. I don’t stop or sit until after 10pm most days. I only have so much energy and patience in week or a month or a year. She wants a divorce every 6 months for something small to me, but it’s huge to her. I say it’s so small, it’s not worth fighting about, she says I don’t care how she feels. How do I wrap my head around how big or small something is for someone with anxiety?
Wow – what an amazing love…
Having had somatised anxiety for 30 years, reading this heart felt account, might I suggest this sounds like a very solid dose of depression and will require professional help. Perhaps some medication for 3 months to stabilise and get some sanity back for both of you relatively quickly.
Once that support scaffold is in place – then find a good psychologist your wife clicks with. It may take a few duds before you find someone right for her. Then comes the ‘cognitive behaviour therapy’ CBT. This is where your wife will learn how to rewire her brain to help manage the anxiety.
You say you have a young child. It could very easy be postnatal depression. This can poke its head up 18 months or more after the birth and is very normal- especially for a first baby and if her friends and support network are far away.
Depression and anxiety are kissing cousins. They often go hand in hand.
It’s normal for everyone to feel anxious or depressed from time to time in our lives, and especially with CV19.
Losing interest in the people and things we love is the first sign things are really not right….as is extreme fatigue and not being able to get out of bed all day.
Don’t be afraid of medication. There’s new stuff now that is non addictive and has no side effects like weight gain.
I take Effexor during the day and Seroquel at night or I couldn’t function.
I finished uni 30 years ago and have worked professionally for all that time.
Anxiety doesn’t have to be a death sentence.
It comes and goes for most.
It may become chronic for others. This means you have to treat it with respect and manage it.
Mine will never go away, but I’ve stopped fighting it. I have learned to live with it.
Every day is a blessing. Most days are fabulous. Some days are rough – and you learn to listen to your body instead of over riding your safety switch to your own detriment.
When my anxiety starts to kick off – I know now to stop, think and listen. Manage it or it will mange you.
I am proof you can have utterly debilitating anxiety and overcome it.
You can get well. You can have a quality superb life and healthy relationships and a successful career in anything you choose.
Cheers,
Leah
Hey mate. I feel your confusion and pain. The woman I love is very similar and I’m at my wits end. The whole don’t get offended when I speak to you that way starts to wear thin very quickly and it cuts deep. I’ve just ordered a book called Loving someone with anxiety. Should be here in a couple of days. I’ve been reading a lot of post and insights online trying to get my head around it. Not being able to say anything is the worst. Frozen. I hear you. Good luck brother. I’m not down yet
I have been searching for information on Anxiety as I am dating a sweet girl for about 3 months now – anxiety is something she is getting counselling for, so I am trying to understand it better for both me and, maybe one day, for her.
But your post smacked of familiarity to me. I had similar experiences with my previous partner of 3.5 years. The description you gave about freezing with no idea how to fix something you so desperately wanted to fix struck a chord with me. Your description of her frustration with you either helping too much or not enough (such as with the Christmas dinner, or whether you hug her enough/too much!) resonated with my experiences. Sadly, my partner and I split up, though in hindsight it was for the better, for me at least.
The only advice I can offer, if you want it and as someone not qualified in mental health professionally but has lived through and experienced enough of it, is to seek professional help for both of you. The most difficult part will be the anticipation of bringing this up with her; I would imagine it will require a hell of a lot of courage and, in your mind, maybe timing? Chose an opportunity when you can be alone to talk it through with her, be honest with how the current situation is making YOU feel (don’t talk for HER!), tell her what you would like in your ideal future together, then receive her reaction (it could be very fierce!) – wait until she is finished, listen carefully, then reaffirm your ideal future together. Then she may receive THAT message a little easier, to which you can then bring up counselling together.
I sincerely hope you both have a happy future together and will keep my fingers crossed for you both. Much love, bro x
Wow, A.C.T., I can relate to so much you have said. My husband has GAD and is very high functioning. He has a great job, super intelligent but when it comes to us, it is super stressful. I can’t do anything right in an argument. Whatever I say is wrong (or don’t say) makes me a bad person, a bad wife. Argument never stick to the issue at hand but become a bigger part of our marital issues – usually how bad I am as a wife. He won’t seek help, he helps himself and has done a tremendous job weening himself off medications and finding solutions to try and break the barriers in his mind (he has sleep issues due to the anxiety).
Since being off the meds, the arguments are getting worse and worse, something rubs him the wrong way and once he snaps there is no reasoning with him. He is never physically abusive but he often resorts to mud slinging when the anger is controlling him and he never sees it, never acknowledges it, no matter how reasonable I try to show him. He is an amazing person but I am exhausted and finding it more and more difficult to carry the roll of the bad guy.
Any help pointing to a book or an article to help me is much appreciated.
Regarding the article above, I found it troubling as a person married to someone with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) for almost 20 years. The article calls out not to worry that the person with anxiety knows how valuable you are – that is not enough. It a relationship the partner of someone with anxiety needs to be shown, have it articulated, reinforced that you see their value, how they take on additional responsibilities, how they are strong through the increased pressures of living with someone with the disorder. The disorder needs to be acknowledged as a part of the relationship and that everyone is working to live with it, not just the one with the anxiety. This may seem insensitive to the person who is suffering with anxiety but it must be said. If the anxious person is suffering, their partner will suffer too – watching them suffer with no way to help, other than to pick up the pieces, duties, needs of your life together and let them focus on what they need to get better. That takes its toll too and needs to be acknowledged, supported, appreciated, loved.
Thanks for this article and the stories shared by others. It is comforting and provides direction for me in a difficult time.
I relate so much to your post. My husband wont really get help for his anxiety We have been to couples therapy and the counselor thinks he has GAD as well and recommended he see someone to get medication but he wont he is so against any form of medication. but everything you said is us. The article doesn’t say anything about what his GAD does to the spouse. Its so hard and in the end somewhat abusive to us and our kids. He gets controlling and he berates the kids when they do something wrong and me. When he is having an episode its never a simple oh you spilled your juice its ‘why didn’t you think about where your hand was. you were leaving on the table and not sitting up properly, your always leaning stop doing that. And so on for 5 minutes until we are all so defeated. but sometimes he is just like….darn you spilled your oj lets go get a towel and clean it. It all depends on his anxiety level which there is no rhyme or reason to when its bad. It can last for weeks or months then we can have a few great months or weeks. Its like being on a rollercoaster you cant get off of and you have no control over. regardless of the fact that he is doing it because he has GAD its still abusive to be berated for what seems like hours for making a mistake when he is anxious. And telling him to stop is like telling him to fly it just doesn’t happen I have to yell or run away for it to stop. Telling him to stop and you need time is more like picking a fight so its better to just wait it out but I cant.. I just cant… its so painful.
Any help is greatly appreciated. I think my husband just needs mediation but he wont… I don’t want a divorce but this is beginning to affect my happiness and my children’s.
My husband has GAD and now panic disorder as well. We don’t really argue but he lives with his sister at mo as he feels he needs his space, he has been gone for a year and we as a couple are ok. I do worry all the time and have seen loads of stuff on a negative way, but I am learning and I thought we were ok and now he thinks we should split! Of course I dont think so as I can support him and be there for him but I don’t know what to do! I have told him how I feel and he just says he doesn’t know. He is off his meds and I can’t make him take them but he is in such a bad place. I don’t know what to do??!!
Omg this hit so close to home. I felt every word written in this response. Brought tears to my eyes. I’m fairly new at all of this. Have been in a relationship with someone who suffers from severe anxiety for only 2 years. Its the hardest thing ever. The most difficult relationship that I’ve been in. I’m truly exhausted. My partner is a great person. Unfortunately the battle with anxiety takes a toll on what could potentially be. So so sad. I’m trying to be strong for us both but I’m tired of always defending myself and feeling like i can’t do or say anything right.
My wife had a very rough past relationship. And her anxiety is really starting to effect our marrige . I simply can not do right everything I say is a lie
We cant go out as
a family together as she would acuse me of looking at other woman, I cant have social media as again I’m
acused of looking at other girls.
It’s got to the point now that we aren’t sleeping together as she
wont let me near her and says
“What’s the point you make me feel awful as it’s not her I’m thinking about”
She is completely against medication
We have 3 kids two are from her previous relationship.
We argue nearly daily in fact as I write this I’m
away out of the house as she just wouldn’t stop from 7am until 12 of just complete rubbish talk against me and how unfaithful I am and that how many lies I say. Today’s argument started as i got out of bed went down stairs went out to car for a smoke and came in. She started an
argument over saying I was outside in car looking up tarts in my phone. We have a home security camera system and even after replaying the footage showing I didn’t even have phone she persisted I did and then just started slating me and everything I do and how unfaithful I am.
I have never once been unfaithful to her
I have absolutely no intention or interest In anyone else yet she maintains I have all the interest in everyone but her! I honestly can not win egg shells is exactly my daily life with her . She says I done something I tell her i didn’t she will not once say ok you didn’t even when the evidence is staring her in the face or completely rational explanation is never an explanation its an excuse.
I love the woman clearly and I’m very proud as she really is a knock out beautiful
woman. But at any given opportunity I’m told to leave or get out and never come back.
Its horrible because I cant go anywhere with her and my kids no family days out I always get told I’m looking at other woman to the point I’m told I’m everything from a pervert to a borderline pedofile.
I am non of these things and some of the things she says are Just completely sick and disgusting accusations.
She wants a divorce every ten minutes
I tread on egg shells I do all the house
work daily I am nearly afraid of looking at my phone In her presence.
As mentioned above regards bedroom I have performance anxiety as it’s a complete mind mess of thoughts clouding that results in no performance.
I am 35 and had the embarrassment of getting a prescription
which she knows about and doesn’t approve of and maintains it should be her that turns me on not pills.
I am on the verge of giving up just so I can give her mind peace or hopefully trigger her to see what she is doing . I am beating my head off a wall and each day is now completely destroyed sucking happiness from me and her both . Is it time to throw the towel in and let her win. ? At same time I love my kids and her dearly but I do not get a break I am losing who I am myself and doubting myself as a man being good enough for anything at all or anyone any aspect of life .
My wife has anxiety, some days worse than others and I can identify with a lot of the comments. ‘Walking on eggshells’ sums it up. I feel that some days everything I do will be wrong. Even if yesterday it was right!
I know she can’t help it and she always says not to take it personally but man is it hard?
If I ask how I can help? That increases the stress as she feels she is the only one making decisions.
If I do something off my own back? She would have prioritised differently and I’m making things worse.
She meditates and is speaking to someone so I know she wants to fix it. It’s just so difficult feeling that you can’t make it better and every choice you make could make it worse.
I’m going to hit my head off the wall as it seems more productive. Rant over.
Written with love, for people struggling with how to love. What a fine post. Hats off
hi, my son is 30 years old and 2 months ago started for the first time feeling anxious and scared of loosing his job due to corona situation. It got worst and he wanted to quit his job because he feels not being productive and feels guilty . He lives in a different country from me with his wife and they just bought a house in June. We talk every day and keeps telling me he is scared and never felt like this before, can’t concentrate and i can see on his face the sadness and i dont know how to help him. Please what should i do? His wife is trying so hard but he cant get out of it . Should i tell him what i think like he suffers from anxiety or i shouldnt? It’s ok to tell him that he needs professional help or not? please help as i dont know how to talk to him. Thank you
I went through something similar with my ex. The fear of losing his job because he wasn’t sleeping much due to anxiety. It was some sort of tornado that kept revolving in “I’m not sleeping, I’m not productive, I’ll get fired” “If I get fired I’ll have no job, no money and you’ll stop loving/respecting me” and so on. At the moment I didn’t know it was anxiety or GAD. We broke up for a few months, because he insisted he didn’t need any help and just needed to be by himself. Even though we weren’t together, I encouraged him to talk to a professional on various occasions, because it was starting to affect his physical health too. He blocked me from every social media we had, he was still in denial. I prayed for him to get better and get help.
After months of being apart we reconnected. He was getting counsel and medication. We got back together, even though it was not easy with the mood swings. In the end (2+years later)we didn’t stay together for other reasons, but I don’t regret one minute insisting on him to look for help.
Hoping anyone going through a similar position can find this helpful.
I live with an extremely anxious/phobic person, who lives in obsession and fear for the mere possibility of some particular danger, regardless of its probability.
The pandemic has exacerbated this to a new level. She is in an extremely germaphobic state. If anybody touches any house part which isn’t “trusted” with their clothes, the clothes must be washed. Or hands must be disinfected with alcohol. If any object touches another “contaminated” object, it becomes contaminated, and so on if a third object touches the second. Deliveries must all be quarantined for days outdoors, reaching the point where it ends up raining on packages. All based on worst possible predictions which are ridiculously improbable.
We have a child together and I am not sure what else to do, because I feel I reached the point where I become numb just to get going. Her family is also quite desperate with her rage tantrums and accusations.
These are helpful tips, not only for anxiety but in dealing with the daily stresses we find ourselves in. Very worth reading content, Thanks for sharing!
I wish everyone read this…
My partner is dealing with GAD and it gets triggered often by things which might look pointless but it does.it gets worst sometimes and leads us to argument fight and abuse . I always try to be calm with her most of the time.
I most of the time fail to help her get out of it and find myself helpless but I really need to learn someways to support her during those worst episodes and bring her back to normal . She is highly intelligent and creative and likes to be appreciated for every thing she does.
She is as described in the article very over protective and highly caring and plan things in advance .
But when it triggers her it definitely makes her feel sick and I need some advise and inputs as in what way I can make her feel better.
Like the article says… Just be there. Do things that she normally does to take some added stress off of her. Be there for her when she calls for your help. Just be there.
Living with someone with anxiety is a pain in the flippin arse. If I had my time again I would never have opted into it. He can’t get a driving licence because it would make him too anxious, so I do all the driving, and we live miles from anywhere. He can’t go to the supermarket, so I have to do all the shopping (we live in a remote area and shops are miles away). He won’t travel anywhere on holidays or attend any events whatsoever (parties, weddings, etc), so I go alone to those. Obviously we never go out, to restaurants or the cinema or anything. He can’t get even himself to the doctor or the dentist, let alone take our son to the doctor or dentist, so I have to take our son to all appointments and then practically trick him, an adult, into visiting either in an emergency. It’s been nearly 20 years. I’m demoralised. I feel like I’m a parent to him, which is deeply unsexy. He refuses to seek any help. And yet all I ever see is articles telling me how I can do more for him, when in fact I’m the one who’s been making his life possible for two decades. What I’d like to see for once is an article entitled something like: ‘So you suffer from anxiety? Here’s an inkling of what your partner might have been going through because of it’. That’s all. Sorry for ranting. I’m flippin exhausted
YOU ARE NOT ALONE, I M IN THE SAME BOAT,PARENTING MY PARTNER ON MANY SIMILAR ISSUES PLUS HE HAS BIPOLAR DISORDER TOO.
You chose to be with this person. You CAN CHOOSE to walk away from them. They are struggling with this illness every day . Words fail me.
So relieved to read this, my husband has been suffering with health anxiety since March 2019, and I have been sick and frustrated with me adapting to meet his needs. Fortunately he has seemed help and it has improved. But I do understand what you are feeling. I honestly think if he hadn’t started help I would have walked out, many times I sat in the car thinking about walking away. Anyway help is the key, to not even try I think is selfish as it monopolizes the relationship. Good luck to you.
I really feel for your situation. I suffer with chronic anxiety and it is debilitating but I’m also very stubborn, I refuse to let it define me. Your spouse has lost the fight, it’s easier to wallow in the own little world then face up to life. Unfortunately you have had to take on the ‘life stuff’ yourself and I wonder if by doing so you have unintentionally made him more unwilling to try. I’m really hoping that doesn’t sound harsh. Maybe time apart would heal some wounds. I hope everything work out for you.
Oh my god! I am hearing u. I feel like my other half had the anxiety under control until he realised I could maybe do life for him. He does nothing anymore except his little routines, kind of like self soothing things- I love him but I don’t think I can do the rest of my life like this. I left a 23 year relationship because my ex was like that- without the anxiety- just always let me organise absolutely everything and I Always feel like they are just being unaccountable- I get anxious and I have lived this way for more years than I dare to acknowledge- but I am diagnosed ADD (33)- my medications help me get over myself and on with living. But I can’t live his life for him and I am tired of always being in the firing line.
Exactly!! Like what the hell… I feel like the most unappreciated person ever!! It’s like I’m being punished for something I have no control over. I just really don’t know smh
Wow! I love that I have come across this. Thank you for sharing/venting. And that sucks you have to go through that. I have a partner with anxiety, we are just realising the extent of how it affects our lives. We are both 32 and I want to get married and have children and he just can’t get it over the line. He makes me feel like I am crazy for wanting these normal things. We fight so much and I’ve never cried so many tears because of the way he makes me feel. I am not sure if I should get out if this relationship now or persist with him. He’s a wonderful person aside from his anxiety. They seem incapable of love and distant all the time.
Hi thanks so much for sharing. I am 31 and experiencing the exact situation you describe.
Its very frustrating and scary to imagine a life like this but also hard to walk away from someone you love.
Can you offer any advice? Have you persisted?
Hi Lu, I hope you have made some progress with your situation, it’s so tough. I actually did persist, but we didn’t work out. I deep down knew what I was getting was not enough for me, and my ex just wouldn’t try for us. It was devastating and it took me a long time to let him go. I now have a new partner, and I’m so happy! He does everything my ex wouldn’t and he pushed through the walls I had up from this previous relationship. And the craziest thing is – he also has his own mental health issues, but he wisely said to me “if someone wants to be with you they will get their mental health right so they can.” I’m finally in a relationship where I feel valued and that my partner supports me, my goals and loves me for who I am 🙂
Distant!! Yes! You could almost accuse them of having an affair with their anxiety…
I’m reading this and it’s me. Thank you for letting me feel like I’n not alone. My boyfriend is the perfect guy but he suffers from anxiety. A mild version from it I guess but is affecting our daily lives so much. He’s so irritable and he finds it normal. He has flying phobia so now all the traveling is awful, and we live in his country away from my family so I always have to travel alone. I’m 31 and I want to have a family but he’s always thinking about the worst and how everything can go wrong.
He says that he will seek help but he only “tries” to go therapy and then he never does it. I’m devastated to lose him but I think I can’t help him and if I stay with him I will be unhappy. Any advice of an article/book or anything that will help him realize that he has anxiety and he doesn’t have o live this way? I would just love for him to see that he could live a better life…
I can relate ! Most articles are how to make it easier for the person with anxiety but what about the partners -some days i feel my partner’s anxiety has destroyed my soul – nothing is easy – half the time you don’t even know what set it off -you want to go for a car ride – you are already on edge because of past experiences- what if he cuts off – what if we make a wrong turn …..it’s everything– everything is about them -make sure they have what they need make sure he is ok i feel Like the last 15 years have been dedicated to walking on eggshells and making sure he is “ok” – his anxiety has taken over my life – ruined so many days -events – bbq – occasions – every memory tainted by a situation- obviously today is one of those days – another beautiful day destroyed by 10:15 in
The morning- signed collateral damage
I hear you!!!!! You are not alone but that’s small comfort and yes, so NOT sexy! Love
Im tired of “walking on eggshells” all the time with husband. I recently read an article on anxiety and he shows a lot of the symptoms of something called underlying anxiety or latent or something. Always tapping your foot etc, always irritated etc. I just thought he was a jerk now im trying to understand a little better. We are married but barely. (I found out he was cheating 5 years ago (for over half our marriage). It almost killed me but by now we’re actually good enough friends. Im not looking at him as anything other than a friend. Whatever romantic feelings i had for him finally left 5 years ago). But i want to know what we should think of when the person denies they have a mental problem and the other person is forced to “walk on eggshells “ for lack of a better term? I hear we should “have compassion” but what does that mean? Try not to irritate them? Years ago i too learned to just nod and agree. But then they don’t like that either. But thats my go-to behavior. It seems like the advice we are given is nice enough, but then it seems like we as the partner are losing ourselves in the end…im probably just being annoying! Just having a rough Sunday.
You are defiantly not annoying!!! It’s a real difficult situation.. actually sad because they won’t get help… My spouse is in denial as well.. won’t even do marriage counseling. Yes, I need to do better at nodding and agreeing— it’s mentally draining trying to explain things as it just doesn’t sink in with him.
I feel your pain … I feel like my partner emotional punch bag… terrible situation… I feel so unloved n cared for…
It’s easy for people to say leave as where would I go 😢
I am a fun loving caring person, I try my very best
Big hugs to everyone going through this….
😔
It’s interesting to know that anxiety is a physical response to a brain that is being over-protective. My husband and I will be having his sister over for a couple of months, and we are looking for advice because she suffers from anxiety problems. I will pass this information to him to make sure we both understand how anxiety works and how to help her.
I am 35 years old and didn’t realize that I may have anxiety until recently when I started reading up on it & every damn thing I read is spot on with the way I feel. I am a relationship with 3 children and lately it seems as if my disorder has gotten intense. We fight almost constantly about the most ridiculous things, I used to think every fight was her fault cause she is “crazy”, but I’m slowly started to think maybe I’m the crazy one. I’ve had issues in the past with alcohol and drugs mainly marijuana. Looking at it now I guess I was subconsciously self-medicating. So i now have my first appointment scheduled with a psychiatrist but i still haven’t talked to my wife about my anxiety because i dont think she will understand. Because of my drug/alcohol past plus dramatics i caused i feel she won’t believe me and just claim I’m making it up or wanting attention or trying to be the victim or something. Lately my emotions feel like they have been getting more intense and i really dont want this family to be broken because of it if there is any advice anyone can give to help me in my situation please tell me. She is a good woman and i just want her to understand what this is and that it is real and not made up.
My partner has anxiety. And the article is on point, however I feel like I have exhausted all that I can do. I need some light shed my way so that I may continue to help and not to give up on us. We have been together for over 10 years and have a 5 year old. His anxiety has morphed into many stages and I am now at a point were I am struggling to want to be in the relationship. When we began dating, my partner had said he suffered from anxiety in his past. He had received treatment at a facility in Encino and it had worked for him. As time passed, his anxiety came back and he had stopped his treatment sessions. I encouraged him to go back, however he is at a point where we he cannot travel far without panic attacks. I hate saying this however, my son and I are like prisoners. We are unable to do things without my partner’s approval, just feeling trapped. I want to help, however I feel exhausted and just at the lowest point of unhappiness. We have tried neurofeedback system delivered at home however money became an issue. What can I do to help?
It’s good to read the comments from those living with a partner with anxiety. The phrase “walking on eggshells”! That is my life. My husband’s anxiety is ramping up as he gets older. I am constantly on alert and it’s affecting my health. Perhaps meditation and more physical activity is the key because I MUST find a way to rise above what’s happening.
As the partner with anxiety, I can reassure these things are true. I have been diagnosed with a form of childhood PTSD from the father that didn’t care about me and emotionally/mentally abused me. My mother has tried her best to be my dad and mom and has created, what I think, a very well rounded man.
That being said, I haven’t faced my problems head on until last year through therapy and that’s when all my 24 years of pent up stress and anxiety came out. I have made great progress but I’m still recovering and have anxiety and depression at times. It comes in waves and when I have my episodes, my partner holds me still, tells me that everything is going to be okay and we talk about it. This is the best way to help someone with anxiety; unconditional love and communication. I reassure her that i’m sorry and I wish she didn’t have to go through this too, even though I know it’s not my fault, but she’s always there in the end. The best way I have been able to describe the experience is
the fear you get in your nightmares of instant gloom and angst, like somethings chasing you but no matter how hard you run, you remain in place. You can’t breath, you are irrational and negative and as a man, it makes me feel like less than because I don’t feel strong or manly. I’m slowly learning that it doesn’t matter, all that matters is being me and working through it.
It takes a strong person with anxiety to live a normal life but it takes and even stronger person to love them.
My partner just ended things with me because she feels I don’t reassure her enough when I try my family hardest to help her when she needs me. Sometimes her anxiety moments catches me by surprise and I get caught out and don’t act right. I feel like a complete failure and I miss her terribly
Hi, did you work things out and if you did, how? My partner wants to leave to but I don’t want him to. I am doing everything I can but want to help and be together with him
Hi Karen,
What an amazing post. I have learned a lot of ways to to cope with an overly anxious partner. Especially, when you talked about trying to change them. (Anxious partners)
I totally I agree with you that letting them know that they are fine the way they are is far more better than trying to change them in any way.
Nonetheless, I would like to add 3 more things to avoid while dating someone with anxiety and they are: #1 Don’t criticize them for having anxiety. #2 Don’t lose your temper or patience every time the anxiety flares up. And finally, #3 Never recommend drugs for their anxiety because, you are not a psychiatrist.
Doing any of them would hurt One’s partner, making the anxiety worst and creating more stress in the relationship.
Thanks.
I have anxiety, the only time it flares up is when I know someone is not being honest with me or the circumstances around are not professional. Please don’t talk to me in a different tone than someone else. I am a human being, don’t talk about me behind my back. Don’t tell me what I see, is not correct. I am not blind, but your setting off my anxiety.
What you describe sounds like normal human behavior. I am no doctor, but everyone does and should expect a certain level of respect.
As I read all these posts my heart goes out to you all. In most cases it seems like folks are trying to figure out ways to fix their partners, find more patience, develop coping skills etc. But looking back I would offer another perspective, meant in kindness. After swimming upstream with an anxious partner for seventeen years I chose to end the marriage. I came to the realization that the anxiety was simply bigger than me. Nothing was ever going to change and our mutual unhappiness was not helping the kids. Disolving the marriage was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. Its been 10 years and yes, we are both very happy. In the end it’s just arithmetic. Ask yourself how many years you are going to live. Then ask yourself how many of those years you are willing to sacrifice, to unhappiness. I have never looked back. We are both with partners and both happy. Go figure. Life doesn’t have to be such a struggle and your real soul mate is out there.
Hi Karen,
What an amazing post. I have learned a lot of ways to to cope with an overly anxious partner. Especially, when you talked about trying to change them. (Anxious partners)
I totally I agree with you that letting them know that they are fine the way they are is far more better than trying to change them in any way.
Nonetheless, I would like to add 3 more things to avoid while dating someone with anxiety and they are: #1 Don’t criticize them for having anxiety. #2 Don’t lose your temper or patience every time the anxiety flares up. And finally, #3 Never recommend drugs for their anxiety because, you are not a psychiatrist.
Doing any of them would hurt One’s partner, making the anxiety worst and creating more stress in the relationship.
Thanks.
It’s so dam hard sometimes not to do number 2 in your suggestions. I feel I try so hard with my partner but at a detriment to my health… it’s so hard on partners. You have so many emotions , guilt for not being there, frustration for them ruining lovely moments and days and sadness because sometimes you need things too but the perosn clouded by anxiety isn’t available to give it to you. Right now I feel like the biggest failure ever 😔
You are not a failure. You are trying as hard as you can. All you can do
Couldn’t agree more to every single word written here. “Sometimes you need thing too but the person clouded by anxiety isn’t available to give it to you”
#2 is the hardest for sure. Glad to see that I’m not alone in this bc i keep hearing it as a way to cope
i might have missed it but i dont recall the idea of the person seeking proffessional help for their issues. If all you do is support by enabling how does anything ever get better for the sufferer and their partner. Surely you should be there to support them but by doing that isnt it possible to move forward with proffessionals. People wear out after a while, no matter how much you love them.
I 100% agree. You can accept a Person without accepting their Behavior. People with anxiety need HELP. They need help for their own comfort, sure, but also to keep their behavior from ruining their lives. Just read these comments. Many of them sound less like an anxious partner (although they might well be that), and more like a person who rationalizes and excuses abusive behavior by saying they are anxious and can’t change. Which is a LOAD OF SH*T. Get some Therapy (DBT is good for this stuff), learn to meditate, and stop treating people like some kind of thing that is there only to support you. You don’t get to outsource your mental health, and if someone else tries to do that To you, LEAVE THEM.
That’s the difference then . If they are trying to change by learning and meditation, isnt that enough?
Or do you keep attacking THEM telling them their behaviour needs to change even when then they are not doing anything wrong?
Telling them they need to do more than meditate?
In fact by saying that its only making it all worse?
At what point to we say i need to see my role in this and compassion is important.
I agree 100%..I have a best friend of 30 years I just had to let go of due to her severe GAD and overthinking.She refuses all mental therapy…but is at the Doctors constantly “imagining” she has this or that phisically.I feel terrible I could not enable her any longer…but so relieved I dont live in her world of denial anymore.PLEASE for the sake of loved ones who dont want to go away….GET HELP…keep looking until you find something that helps even a little.I refuse to enable this and refuse to clog up my life to illogical overthinkg.Its not at all fair to your loved ones.WE have feelings to.I am a recoeverig alocoholic .sober many years…I KNOW what it feels like to pull your pants up and get help…admit life is not working and work hard to be better…..no one should have to “tolerate” ME …..when I refused help.
Sooooo I’m wondering how to navigate my new life style, my 28 year old step daughter moved back in with her daughter who’s 5 my husband and I understood that this was needed because she has anxiety , my granddaughter was tested in school and found to be on the autism spectrum ( she’s just now starting to develop language) also shortly after they moved in my husband had what can only be described as a mental break ie sudden onset anxiety disorder. So I’m having a lot of difficulty seeing to all their needs and wants while trying to maintain my own damn sanity….. any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you so much for sharing this information ❤️
I hope that you know this has changed lives and helped others understand what people with anxiety go through.
God bless you❤️
Hello. I am a 21 year old college student that has suffered with anxiety for the majority of my life. As a young child my mother would tell me stories about how impactful my anxiety could be to my everyday life. I have been in a committed relationship for about a year and a half now. We have a beautiful bond, goals, personalities and the like, but my anxiety causes terrible arguments. I am learning more about my anxiety and how to control my reactions, but I feel like he doesn’t understand me completely. If he does, he responds in a very negative way. He usually becomes very hostile, shuts down, makes me feel like a crazy lunatic. When I tell him to just give me a hug or comfort me in situations like this he replies, “He shouldn’t have to “‘baby”‘ me.” I don’t know how to help him understand. Sometimes I worry that these arguments will eventually break us apart. To think that is devastating, considering that my anxiety is the only culprit.
I’m married to a man that has anxieties he tells me I don’t understand what he’s going through yes and I have made the comment that what do you want me to do cradle you I’m trying to understand what to do for people with anxieties. Some of the things you have written i have seen in our relationship.
My husband has the mood swings I thought he might be bipolar I see now it the anxiety.
As a person who has just broken with their partner as a result of her anxiety and arguments I would just say it’s a horrible thing for you to have to live with and I’ve experienced it myself so I do understand as a partner of someone with anxiety tho I think it’s hard for them to always feel in a place to support or help. When they are tired or need something themselves it’s not always easy to remember in that moment why you are acting the way you are. Sadly mental health takes away that perosn and replaces them with a different version and sometimes it’s easy to comfort but others it’s not and it gets frustrating when you feel you can’t , not only Cos you need something yourSlef but you feel bad and selfish for getting frustrated. I don’t know what the answers are Cos I don’t think I did a good job of soothing my partner (although I work in a caring profession and I feel I give so much) maybe trying to understand better each other helps a little. Good luck with it all
I found this article very interesting so thank you.
My partner is 28 and suffers with anxiety, one minute everything will be fine we will be happy enjoying luch or whatever it is and then something might happen and he will change. For example yesterday I was waiting on a call from an old colleague to take down information for a reference. After their call I can the feel the mood has changed and he says his anxiety has kicked in. I never know what to do or how to react so I try to just keep his mind off it, talk about the food or something. But it lingered and we went upstairs and I said should I put something on, he didn’t want me to so we just sat in silence. He then said he didn’t like this and said “I just need a cuddle” . When i first met him he told me that his ex would always cuddle him and reassure him when he was having an attack. However I see this a mothering technique and feel it will be more damaging in the long run as he will fall dependent on me to make it go away everytime- which isn’t something that can work long term.
I spoke to him about this and informed him I will always give my support and be there with him but I don’t feel that method is healthy for either of us.
Can someone please give a second opinion on this.
Thank you
Hi Everyone.
I’ve been reading up a lot lately on living with a partner who has anxiety.
In most articles, there is mention of ‘just being there’ for them. I’m not exactly sure of what this means.
I spend a lot of time talking to my partner. I actively listen to my partner (diagnosed with anxiety as a child) when they seem anxious or frustrated. But I never really know what to say to make it better. I’ll listen with all my time and attention but I just feel lost with trying to respond in a way that allows my partner with anxiety to feel comfortable or consoled. I don’t know what the right words to say are, if there are any at all.
How do you all think I can be there for my partner in a more effective and sensitive way?
my spouse has severe anxiety kicks. i learnt that being quiet and nodding is the key. but later he would argue with me for not caring enough to react to his actions. it feels like a cycle of never ending frustration.. it feels like he just wants to take it out on whatever is near by. the fan , the heater , the window, me.. i have learned to brush it off… with anxiety comes grumpiness , frustration , argument fight .
little things like room temperature , noise of clock ticking seems to give him anxiety and he becomes very irrational . he becomes violent and throws the remote on the ground . i got hit by remote as he was frustrated. i am helpless and speechless. you can control yourself and not the world. perfect example is when hes driving he gets triggered by someone making mistakes on the road. he once chased a guy who made wrong turn. when it rains, he talks about how the slipper road causes accident for 2 straight hours and blames me for being ignorant an not knowing or understanding his ordeal. i just dont know what to do or say because everything i say or do is gonna be blamed and he would point all fault on me . pour all his frustration on me . its like walking on egg shells.
He sounds very abusive. Anxiety is a horrible thing to deal with, but I think it does not excuse violent behavior. You sound like a lovely person, who is scared and frustrated too. Would you consider getting help for yourself, to build up your strength to set boundaries? Constant criticism and living in fear are not OK. You don’t deserve that. It’s not your fault. It’s ok if you’ve reached your limit and need to go. You matter too. Your happiness matters too. He sounds like he needs serious CBT and anger management. I wish you all the very best of luck xx
That doesn’t sound like anxiety. That sounds like a genuine jerk.
Oh yeah – he’s got bigger issues.
It’s him – not you.
Be careful.
My partner just ended our relationship today. She suffered abuse as a child and now that’s left her with low self esteem and anxiety in some situations. It’s awful. She deserves to be happy and deserves love. I want to give that to her. But she makes it so difficult , sometimes I say the wrong thing and it leads to an attack of anxiety and sometimes I feel ready and equipt to deal with it and make her feel better. Other times it catches me and I’m not in a position to respond they way she would like and I get frustrated at her which is the wrong thing to do but I’m only human. I work as a nurse and just get so tired sometimes I can’t deal with the emotion of it. She said ended things saying I wasn’t supportive or saying the right things , which to a nurse I think is the biggest insult…I am very sad
Here’s a safe site for you to access, if you ever need help. Domestic violence isn’t just about physical, but also mental, emotional, and verbal abuse. You don’t have to take it. Maybe you guys need to separate, until he decides to get his act together. You’re not alone. It’s not your fault. I am responsible for my actions and words. You are responsible for yours. And he is responsible for his. He needs to step up and take responsibility, which is not something anyone can make him do. He has to decide to do it.
https://www.thehotline.org/
All I can say is living with someone with anxiety is very very hard. I get tired of always walking on eggshell. It was’t bad at first. He would have infrequent bouts of anxiety, he would snap and ask for a time out sometimes it would take as long as 30 minutes to get some control and he wasnt really medicated when we started dating and now he is medicated on another chemical cocktail and I might get 5-10 minutes out of him of pleasant behavior on work nights and a little more on the weekends. I walk on eggshells most of the time when I am around him now because I can feel the anxiety simmering in his voice when he talks. Tonight was a perfect example of irrational behavior, we went to dinner, he became impatient with the service, snap at me asking if I was done, I explained I just took my last bite, he requested the check and we left. Our Saturday night date including transportation to and from the restaurant lasted 70 minutes.
In the past he use to apologize for being an ass, and tell me I do not deserve to be treated the like that, well that hasn’t happen in a while. It did help when he did that. I also watch him struggle. He wishes he could turn off his brain. He describes it as being in prison with an occasional furlough for good behavior. Sad thing is he had a PET scan that confirms his description of his anxiety state. The pyschiatrist said his brain never really turns off. So what am I to do??? It is not his fault but jeez this is hard. And this is from someone whose husband died from a chronic debilitating illness that required daily dialysis at home the last three years of his life. Any insight would be helpful
I’m a 48 year old male who was diagnosed with ADHD at 47. I was misdiagnosed for times. The last time, I was diagnosed with generalized Anxiety disorder. ADHD does bring with it a lot of anxiety particularly if there hasn’t been a proper diagnosis. Because the person has been living with ADHD their entire lives. I know this is an old post, but your husband symptoms sound like mine. Once I got proper treatment and proper medication… All the anxiety left.
I am a 52 yr old female and that is exactly what happened to me. My severe anxiety is gone, I enjoy the moments in life and am happier than I have been in 15 years. The ADHD diagnosis is the best thing that has happened to me. Anxiety & depression are side effects of ADHD. Don’t give up, continue to seek help until you find the right professional to help you through it.
My girlfriend of five years suffers from severe anxiety which seems to be getting worse. She hid her anxiety and panic attacks from me for over a year and put on a brave face when we were going places or doing things. I only eventually learnt of her anxiety when she had a break down in front of me during what I thought at the time was a normal situation. It has got to a point now where we can’t go shopping, see friends, go on holidays, or even mention an event without anxiety propping up and potentially bad attacks happening. I always try to support and help her through it in any way I can and I have tried to learn and understand as much as I can about the condition. Frustratingly though she sometimes becomes aggressive towards me when all I’m trying to do is help her. I wish so much for her to get better but I worry it will continue to get worse. She has had a therapist for over 6 months but it seems to of been of no benefit as she dismisses her techniques during anxiety attacks. It is very difficult because I love her and I want to travel the world, marry, have children and share great experiences with her. I worry though that her world will get smaller and smaller if it carries on this way and none of the above seems possible at the moment. I get upset because although I think it’s the anxiety speaking she seems to not want to change for the better and help herself. I don’t know what to think for the future, will it get better?
You have rightly said all the things in your blog. It is very important to understand your dear one’s mental state. Yes, it is true that you should not make an issue about it. Everyone has their own things and it is completely normal. My boyfriend has anxiety issues, and I understand him. Your blog is very helpful to the people like me. It is crucial to understand them and their needs. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you so much for this article. I have been struggling for a few days now with overwhelming anxiety. My confusion is if it is intuition or just anxiety– which usually it is anxiety but makes me feel like its real and the things I worry about happening are real even though they are not. I am considering going back to a therapist but want to give it more time first because I would rather do it on my own. I have been on meds in the past and have seen a therapist but ever since I got off the meds and stopped seeing the therapist I felt proud of myself. Praying for everyone here to have relief from their anxiety and for the significant others! <3
It’s important to remember that anxiety is a warning, not a prediction. It has incredible capacity to make it seem as though your fears are reality, which is why anxiety can be so tough to deal with – but absolutely it can be managed. I can hear how important it is for you to do this on your own, but any time you change your mind and want a hand, know that the support is there. It doesn’t change how strong you are and in fact sometimes asking for help is the strongest thing you’ll do.
My son suffer from anxiety. right now he is not doing anything so he is always at home. sometimes he is ok and sometimes he just freeze and do nothing how can I help him pls. hes 20 yrs old he had been bullied at school and also in high school. I wish I can know how to help him cos my husband and I are very worried, we wish to help him so he can feel better. he is taking medication for anxiety. thanks.
My daughter suffers from anxiety and depression and has been in counseling since she was 15. She is now 26. I want to have a relationship with her, but it is hard because I feel attacked and hurt by her actions and words often. It’s hard not to take things she says personally and I find myself withdrawing from our relationship and it has become very superficial. I was fortunate to be able to stay home with both my children while they were growing up and gave them a lot of time and attention I have a great relationship with my son and my husband. I really long to have a similar relationship with my daughter but are feeling hopeless that we will get to that point. I feel like she spends a lot of time criticizing her family and friends and it’s really hard to be around. She can’t seem to find the good in anyone including herself. Any advice for me?