Here is some inconvenient truth for you: More than 98% of adults have reported to feeling some form of stress on a consistent basis. And to make it worse, studies have shown that stress can heavily strain intimate relationships between people who supposedly love one another. Stress can heavily impact our personal lives in a very toxic and negative way.
However, you don’t really have to worry about that too much. Just because you’re feeling anxious and stressed in life doesn’t mean that your relationship has to end. We all experience stress in some shape or form. But a lot of us are always going to have ways to manage this stress so that it doesn’t intoxicate the beautiful aspects of our lives.
There are definitely a few strategies that you can employ to make sure that stress doesn’t eat away at your relationships. You just have to be able to police yourself by finding out whether stress really is playing a role in the deterioration of your relationship or not. And you can do that by learning to spot the signs that that really is the case. Remember that the first step to solving a problem is recognizing that there is one in the first place.
How to Tell If Stress Is Destroying Your Relationship
Stress can come from anywhere and it can strike at any time. Stress has shown to negatively affect relationships in a number of ways. Studies have proven that stress that takes place outside of the relationship can actually lessen the level of closeness and intimacy between two people. It also creates a lot of unnecessary anxiety and uncertainty in a relationship whenever someone is feeling overwhelmed by stress.
Of course, the signs of stress can really vary depending on the type of person or relationship you might have. However, it’s important to note that stress should never serve as a justifiable excuse for toxic or abusive behavior. If you are a victim of such horrible treatment, don’t be afraid to seek help. However, if you feel like you’re in an otherwise healthy relationship that is just being bogged down by stress, then you always have a shot at fixing things.
1. You are more irritable than usual.
You feel like even the simplest things are enough to really piss you off. Things that typically don’t affect you on a personal level just really irritate you.
2. You feel like your communication in the relationship has dwindled.
You don’t get the sense that you and your partner are really communicating as much as you should be. You don’t feel like you’re getting enough information.
3. You see the entire relationship as a huge mistake.
You find yourself questioning the entire relationship as a whole just because there are so many other aspects in your life that aren’t falling into place.
4. You start exploring other options and prospects.
You begin to daydream about what it would be like to be out of your relationship or to be with someone else instead.
5. You spend too much time on your phone.
You find yourself spending more time on your phone than you do look at your partner during dates. You’re always busy and you always feel the need to stay connected.
How to Save Your Relationship from Stress
If you are seriously stressing over the fact that your relationship is being destroyed by stress itself, you just need to stop. Calm down for a bit and take a breather. Don’t make things worse than they already are. It’s always possible for you to manage the stress in your life so that it doesn’t interfere with your romantic affairs. You have more control over your own life and your environment than you might initially think.
Yes, you can’t always control everything that happens to you, but you can always control how you react to these things. You just need to take a step back and breathe in some new perspective. But if you’re still curious as to how you can really keep stress from wreaking havoc on your relationship, then just read on until the end of this article.
1. Have a game plan.
Whenever you and your partner are in a good place, make a game plan for the next time stress walks into your lives. Make sure that you prepare yourselves for dark times to come.
2. Find ways to reduce your own stress in life.
Sometimes, fixing your own problems in your individual life can fix all the problems in your relationship as well.
3. Encourage your partner to take a break.
Maybe your partner is just feeling really stressed and overwhelmed and they bring that into the relationship. Encourage them to relax for a bit and take a break.
4. Really commit to one another.
Commit to the relationship. Know that it isn’t always going to be easy but you’re always going to be there for the long haul.