How to cope with hookup someone with anxiety

Because of our big age gap and same-sex relationship, she was justifiably anxious about how her parents would react to my having moved in; so she kept it from them for several months. Scenarios like this are common when someone in your life is struggling with anxiety. Your loved one may feel so fearful that they avoid taking action, or act in ways that are inconsiderate or that increase your own anxiety.

This might look like a boyfriend constantly putting off important tasks or discussions, a friend complaining about being lonely but refusing How to cope with hookup someone with anxiety date, or a boss always focusing on what could go wrong, making everyone miserable. First you need to understand that anxiety is a human feature, not a flaw.

However, sometimes people get into patterns of coping with anxiety that cause it to snowball. They overthink ruminating about the past or worrying about the futureavoid whatever triggers their anxiety, and use compensatory strategies—like being extremely perfectionist to avoid feeling like an imposter at work—that decrease their anxiety temporarily but increase it over the long-term.

These coping strategies can also push people away—people like you. Here are some of the strategies I recommend based on my book, The Anxiety Toolkit.

For different people, one of these responses will typically dominate. For instance, my spouse tends to freeze and will bury her head in the sand rather than deal with things that make her feel stressed and panicky.

I tend more toward fighting, and will become irritable, excessively perfectionistic, or dogmatic if I feel stressed. By paying attention to how anxiety manifests in the person you care about, you can learn their patterns and be in a better position to help.