E-Paper
Navigating relationships with anxiety: A guide to healthy connection; therapist explains
From practicing active listening to being honest, here are a few ways by which communication can help us navigate relationships with anxiety.
In a relationship, often we become anxious. It can be due to multiple reasons – from challenges in the relationship, to having issues individually. "When anxiety creeps into your relationship, open communication becomes essential. Sharing your feelings helps your partner understand and support you better, fostering trust and intimacy. Don’t let fear hold you back—speak up and strengthen your bond," wrote Therapist Alison Seponara as she shared a guide on how we can navigate relationships with anxiety by having healthy communication.
ALSO READ: Empower your relationship: 10 key steps to boost assertiveness and strengthen communication
Communication is the key in a relationship. here's how we can navigate relationships with anxiety:
Acknowledge the anxiety: the primary step is to acknowledge the anxiety that we are feeling. We should be self-aware and should not run away from the feeling.
Choose the right time: We should find a time when we are calm, and the partner is also relaxed. We should bring up the conversation at a time when none of us can feel triggered by it.
Be honest and direct: Instead of hitting around the bush, we should be honest and direct about our emotions. We should tell the partner how we are feeling, and how we would like them to address it in a healthy manner.
Prepare what we want to say: prior to the conversation, we should work on ourselves, and sit with our thoughts. We can jot down our thoughts so that we have it all prepared when we want to speak to our partner.
Active listening: While we expect the partner to be an active listener. We should also practice active listening and lend our ears to them as they express themselves. Any relationship is a two-way street, and we should remember that.
Self-care: We should indulge in self-care and learn to pamper and relax ourselves. This helps in combating anxiety and valuing ourselves more.
Seek professional help: If things do not seem to work out, we should seek professional help to guide us to the path of recovery and mental peace.
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
