EP 009 – Anxiety Disorders and Relationships

Anxiety disorders impact more than just us.  They can often have major effect on our close relationships.  Understanding how this happens and having some tools to use to address the negative impacts can go a long way toward improving things for everyone involved.

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• The people close to us are being forced to adapt because we change our behavior to accommodate our fear. Forced adaptation that they can’t understand can then lead to frustration, anger and resentment.
• We can unwittingly place very high demands and expectations on the people in our lives because we’re focused inward and on guard all the time.  This is especially true in the case of your “safe people”.
• Why don’t they get it?  Do they even have to get it?
• Be brave.  Start to make an effort to face your fears.  This can turn things around in your relationships all by itself.
• Take responsibility for your fear. The fear is real but the danger is not.  Let the important people in your life hear this because they need to know that you understand this.
• Don’t be a victim.  You have the strength and power to improve your life.  Don’t expect anyone else to fix you or to enable a fear-driven lifestyle forever.
• Be aware of people in your life that would rather have you entirely dependent upon them.  Those are controllers and they have a vested interest in keeping you where you are now.
• Be aware of self-centered people in your life.  Those people can be difficult to maintain relationships with regardless of your mental state.

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