You chose to spend your life with your partner knowing
that they are anxious. Remind yourself of their other
attractive qualities.
Keep a journal of your own.
Keep track of your own anxious thoughts and feelings
Encourage your partner to seek professional
help if necessary.
You can assist your partner in setting up an
appointment and going to that first appointment with
him or her.
to have a better understanding of what is triggering The bottom line is your spouse’s anxiety is a behavioral
them. pattern that probably started long before you ever got
Practice compromise. together. We love our partners and know them pretty
For example, if you want to go to a concert but know years after it got started, like walking into a movie
your partner hates large crowds, find a smaller, more halfway through.
intimate venue that won’t heighten their anxiety.
Take a hike.
No, that doesn’t mean telling your partner to take
a hike when they get anxious. Anxiety responds to
exercise, so when you or your partner are feeling
particularly anxious, it may be a good idea to take a
walk, go for a run, or hit the gym.
well, but we may have come into their lives 20 to 30
We also have our own interests and our own faults.
Maybe we are impatient or intolerant. Remember to
treat your spouse as you would want to be treated.
Andrew King, PhD
Andrew King, PhD, a psychologist with Baptist Behavioral
Health, offers some advice for spouses whose partners are
battling anxiety.
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