It's true—stress from others can affect your own stress levels, and have an impact on your health. A 2009 study published in the Public Library of Science found that when people are stressed they release a chemical that can be inhaled by those around them, causing these people to become more anxious, as well.
Unfortunately, the partner's social life can suffer as well, making both feel isolated. Emotional well-being — Spouses and partners may feel sad, depressed, or scared (for themselves or for their spouse), or angry, resentful, and bitter toward their loved one. They may also feel guilty for feeling this way.
"Stress contagion—the tendency to absorb others' stress, anxiety, and tension—is a form of this human propensity," said Dr. Manly. And the more empathetic you are, the more susceptible you may be. The idea of stress and anxiety being contagious has been suggested in research.
As much as we can blame the other person for making us feel anxious, the reality is that we set the tone for how we allow others to make us feel. If we notice a pattern of anxiety after meeting with a particular person, then we need to take steps to stop this from continuing.
But loving someone with anxiety can be hard too. You might feel powerless to help or overwhelmed by how your partner's feelings affect your daily life. If so, you're not alone: Multiple studies have shown that anxiety disorders may contribute to marital dissatisfaction.
Yes, you have to be patient and extra understanding in a partner who has anxiety, but you also need to set boundaries. That's why it's important to understand how anxiety goes and if it differs from their behavior. Do not allow your partner to use their anxiety as an excuse for their bad behavior.
Stressful relationships can increase your anxiety, which is why it's so crucial for you to identify red flags in a relationship. If you identify places of concern with your relationship with your partner, and they dismiss your feelings, you should consider leaving the bond- no matter how hard it may be.
Anxiety comes about when someone "constantly needs their partner to validate their love," says Sommerfeldt, and that's a heavy burden to put on someone else. Constantly seeking reassurance from your partner is a sign of feeling insecure with yourself or with your partner.
Research has indicated that individuals with high emotional reactivity (high neuroticism) and introverted tendencies (low extroversion) are more likely to experience anxiety than other personality types [101].
Anxiety can put a lot of strain on relationships and that can become very isolating. Friends and family may feel strained or stressed by your anxiety as well because they don't want to see you suffer, but they don't always know how to help.
Being with someone who has an anxiety disorder can be hard to understand because it can be hard to empathise with them when you aren't feeling anxious yourself. You also can't solve a lot of problems that cause anxiety logically as a lot of what the person is struggling with comes from how they are feeling.
Some people may choose to live alone as a method of coping with their anxiety, particularly if they regard themselves as an introvert. Others find themselves living alone because of circumstances outwith their control. Either way, living alone can have a profound impact on how you experience social anxiety.
Some people experience anxiety because their partner is "too" something - too rich, too good-looking, too busy, too talkative, etc. The partner (boyfriend, husband, girlfriend, wife) has qualities that lead to anxiety.
Whether it stems from lack of trust, fear of abandonment, questioning your compatibility or worrying about non-reciprocated feelings, most people experience some form of unease about the future of their partnership.
A marriage complicated by anxiety creates a stressful environment for both spouses. The anxious half may suffer from limiting feelings and inability to face the daily demands of life, while the non-anxious spouse assumes more than the normal share of domestic, parenting, financial, and other responsibilities.
Anxiety disorders are a type of mental health condition. Anxiety makes it difficult to get through your day. Symptoms include feelings of nervousness, panic and fear as well as sweating and a rapid heartbeat. Treatments include medications and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Dating someone with anxiety can feel very overwhelming and stressful, especially once your partner's behavior shifts. They may start to shut down, pull away, and behave in a passive-aggressive manner, or they may become more controlling, angry, or overly critical.
It is possible for two anxiously attached people to have a good relationship as long as they are able to communicate their emotions.
Toxic empathy, also called hyper-empathy syndrome, is a type of empathy disorder where one struggles to regulate their emotions and empathizes with others so much it impacts their well-being. This contrasts empathy deficit disorder (EDD), where one lacks the ability to empathize with others.
So, yes, feeling anxiety can reduce empathy. But not always, and not in all people, and stress does not necessarily reduce all kinds of empathy equally. This is all of a piece of the larger questions we grapple with here at the Greater Good Science Center.