People with relationship anxiety get so anxious that they start looking for reasons to break up (even if the relationship is going well).
This ongoing state of mind is not only mentally exhausting and detrimental to your own wellbeing, but can ultimately lead to relationship disintegration. “Relationship anxiety can cause people to engage in behaviors that end up pushing their partner away,” says Dr. Zayde.
Many people with relationship anxiety will continuously worry their partner will “find someone better,” doubt whether their partner truly cares for them, or constantly be concerned that their partner will break up with them over insignificant or non-existent reasons.
ROCD or relationship anxiety occurs when your mind deems love, relationships, and commitment dangerous. It would then find ways to warn you of all the things that can go wrong and all the downsides of your relationships.
Your partner may make you feel insecure. You may not feel like yourself when you are around them. They may actually cause you anxiety. If you picture yourself better off without them, then you know it's time to end things.
When it comes to your relationship, the effects of stress can cause major rifts that are otherwise entirely avoidable. Ultimately it will break down both you and your partner, fueling each others' negative emotions and creating unnecessary complications.
Calm down before you act. You can make purposeful steps to build trust in your partner. Share openly when you're feeling worried, and consciously reach out to your partner (physically or verbally) when you might normally withdraw or attack in fear.
Do you both care more about the relationship than about being right? Or do you struggle with communication, hold onto resentment, and feel like every fight could be the end of the relationship? If your closeness doesn't bounce back after arguments, you might be forcing the connection.
ROCD is characterized by ongoing intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors around uncertainty of a relationship. For someone with this condition, relationship doubts are experienced as intense anxiety or discomfort that feel impossible to let go of, and they can often take over or sabotage the relationship.
People become flooded with feelings of anxiety and may experience panic attacks. The only way they can calm their distress is to push the other person away and create some distance. And, while they hate themselves for pushing their partner away, this is preferable to the overwhelming anxiety that comes with intimacy.
If dissatisfaction with the relationship is a factor, the person may wish to leave. Depression can be a chronic illness, and having depression or looking after someone with depression can be challenging. This, too can put a strain on a relationship.
Putting up a wall around your heart does not allow your partner into your emotional world, making it challenging to build trust. If you don't trust your partner--either because of their actions, your own, or both--it makes sense that you'd feel unsure about your relationship.
Having trust issues as a singular issue isn't a mental illness. However, it can be indicative of an actual mental health condition, particularly: Anxiety disorders, especially PTSD. Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Generally speaking, if you're constantly thinking about breaking up with your boyfriend, it's usually a sign that you're not fully happy or satisfied with the relationship.
Doubts can be hangovers from past experiences.
For example, you might doubt your partner truly loves you if in the past you dated emotionally unavailable types, or doubt your partner is honest if your previous partner cheated.
Love can feel a whole lot like anxiety.
"Not being able to eat, being preoccupied, being unsettled, nervy, jumpy, ungrounded, those can be symptoms of anxiety, but they can also be symptoms of excitement," says Sally Baker, senior therapist at Working on the Body.
Saying something like “My girlfriend has mental health issues” is no valid reason for them to leave their partner. Your mental health issue is also an invalid reason to leave your relationship either. In fact, if your partner is supportive, they'll help to keep yourself balanced.
Every relationship can be unique, and the reasons for breakups can be just as unique. Still, there may be several common reasons that relationships come to an end. These can include infidelity, lack of effort, fading feelings, loss of trust, and a pattern of unproductive or unhealthy fighting.
Yes, it is absolutely ok to break up with someone you love. You can easily love someone and realize that the relationship isn't working out.
The most common reasons people break up usually involve a lack of emotional intimacy, sexual incompatibility, differences in life goals, and poor communication and conflict resolution skills. There are no wrong or good reasons to break up. However, some things in a relationship are just outrightly unacceptable.