Connection is a basic human need. Friendships in particular are some of the most important relationships that a person can have in their life.
Friends are the people who are there for you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. They’re the ones you want to run to first whether you have good or bad news to share.
Whether you have a small or large group of friends, you may find yourself constantly questioning yourself and your friendship. Friendship anxiety is real. Let’s learn more about what it is and how to cope.
What is Friendship Anxiety?
Friendship anxiety is a worry about the platonic relationships in your life. This type of anxiety can include feelings like being nervous, overwhelmed, or stressed about your friendships. Friendship anxiety doesn’t necessarily mean that you struggle to build and maintain friendships. It just means that you have really great friendships that you’re afraid of losing.
The Cause
There are a variety of different reasons that someone may experience friendship anxiety. Your past can play a role in your relationships in your adulthood. The attachment style that you formed during your childhood could be a factor. Your family dynamic as a child may not have been healthy, which caused you to observe unhealthy patterns. Past situations of your trust being lost or feeling like you were betrayed can bring on additional anxiety. It’s important to know that friendship anxiety is almost always caused by internal feelings rather than your actual friendships.
The Signs and Symptoms
Are you unsure if you’re struggling with friendship anxiety or not? Here are some of the most common signs of friendship anxiety:
- Avoiding conflict
- Difficulty trusting others
- Fear of rejection
- Needing constant reassurance
- Being a people pleaser
- Feeling physically sick if you think you offended or hurt someone
- Rumination
How to Cope with Friendship Anxiety
Experiencing anxiety from time to time is completely normal, even if the anxiety you’re experiencing is in relation to your friendships. Even though anxiety is normal, it’s important to learn how to manage this type of anxiety so that you can reduce some of the added pressure and stress. No one wants to feel inadequate in their friendships. Here are some ways that you can cope with friendship anxiety:
Give Yourself Grace
First things first, try not to be so hard on yourself. This can lead to added stress you don’t need to take on. Any type of anxiety can be stressful and disrupt your daily life and routine. Friendship anxiety doesn’t mean that you’re a bad friend or that you don’t have healthy relationships. Trust is something that has to be built up over time. Try not to be so hard on yourself and give yourself enough time and grace to work through how you’re feeling.
Talk to Your Friends
Be open and honest with your friends about how you’re feeling. This may seem scary at first, but talking to your friends can help give you the reassurance you need. Plus, being open and honest with them can help you build more trust in your relationships. They may even be able to open up with you about sharing the same internal thoughts and feelings.
Dig Deep
A lot of anxiety can come from internal thoughts and feelings. Try to dig deeper and find out what may be causing you to feel this way. Learning more about your past, reflecting on previous relationships, and diving deeper into your attachment style can help you learn more about yourself.
Seek Additional Support
Speaking to a licensed and trained mental health professional can help you work through these thoughts and feelings you’re experiencing. They’ll be able to help you get to the root cause of what may be making you experience this type of anxiety and help give you the tools and coping mechanisms to overcome it. Reach out today to learn more about how therapy can help improve your friendships.