Psychology Today | 28.08.2026 21:29
Individuals who consistently experience excessive anxiety in daily life often cope by avoiding activities and places that increase their feelings of anxiety. The partners and spouses of these individuals often experience increased anxiety as a result of their empathy towards their loved one and enable the constriction of their lifestyle as more and more activities and places are avoided. The long-term effect of this strategy is two very anxious individuals living in a very small world, missing out on much that life has to offer. This can threaten the integrity of the relationship as resentment builds as the previously non-anxious partner sacrifices more and more to quell their loved one’s anxiety. Learning how to address your partner’s anxiety without giving in to it will support the integrity of the relationship while minimizing the avoidance of life activities.
