Welcome back to the Wake the F*ck Up podcast. This week we are tackling a topic that so many of our listeners have been asking for: relationship anxiety. This is a complex subject and we’ll be sure to link to some resources below because as you’ll hear in this episode, relationship anxiety can come from many different places, and manifest in different ways.
Alix and David dive into various aspects of anxiety, its origins, and coping mechanisms. Our hosts both share some of their personal experiences with anxiety, and safety vs danger in a relationship. A lot of this comes back to vulnerability and showing up authentically for yourself and your partner. When someone is dealing with anxiety they’re often seeking safety both physically and emotionally. Alix shares her knowledge and insights on how anxiety can originate within the body and manifest physically in different ways.
One of the keys to coping with anxiety is understanding your nervous system reactions and listening to your body. Alix dives into this topic talking about triggers and distinguishing real danger from perceived threats. It’s also important to be able to differentiate between normal anxieties, like stage fright, and severe forms hindering daily functioning. Our hosts also touch on relationship red flags here like domestic abuse and domestic violence, and the way that those situations can compromise your physical and emotional safety and leave a lasting impact.
Finding tools that help with your anxiety is a good thing, but as Alix notes later in the conversation, you have to be cautious about toxic coping strategies such as staying busy or hyper-focusing on tasks as an avoidance tactic. Our WAKE wellness app is full of resources and tools you can try for self-soothing techniques, positive self-talk, grounding techniques and linking physical symptoms to underlying emotional issues. Communicating about fears and insecurities and creating a safe space for dialogue is crucial for alleviating anxiety, especially in relationships.
Alix and David wrap up this episode with a conversation about normalizing feelings of anxiety, practicing self-compassion, and seeking safety amidst fear. In case you missed episode 37 (you need to go back and listen to it right now) vulnerability has been a big topic for us recently and we’re back again, talking about vulnerability and how it’s so essential in addressing anxiety and creating a safe space.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
If you’re experiencing domestic violence or domestic abuse you may find these resources helpful:
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