Anxiety is common at the beginning of a relationship, but relationship anxiety can continue for the long term. It refers to intense worry, fear, doubt, and insecurity about a relationship and is associated with interpersonal dependency and interpersonal avoidance. Insecurity about ourselves, our boundaries, and our self-esteem can cause relationship anxiety. Women are more prone to this than men.
It’s a form or symptom of codependency rooted in toxic shame and low self-esteem. The need for validation and love compensates for deep feelings of unlovability. However, because we don’t feel deserving, we can’t accept that we’re loved. We assume others judge us as we judge ourselves. Anticipating this breeds anxiety.
Signs of Relationship Anxiety
Due to fear of rejection or being scrutinized, people with relationship anxiety may avoid situations that risk evaluation by others – especially significant others. This protective defense is counter-productive because it can add to feelings of isolation and unworthiness and deprive a person of intimate relationships and necessary social support and activities. It can cause sabotaging behavior and generate distrust, conflict, emotional stress and exhaustion, and apathy.
Signs include constant worry and reassurance seeking. People with relationship anxiety try to make a good impression to avoid judgment. In order to accommodate …
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