6 Best Ways To Effectively Deal With Stress In A Relationship
Bayu Prihandito is a life coach, a certified psychology consultant, and an RYT 200 yoga teacher. He is also the founder of Life Architekture, a platform focusing on relationships, mindfulness, emotional Intelligence, and personal development. Bayu integrates his expertise to offer comprehensive and holistic guidance to his clients.
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sneha tete Sneha has a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, a professional Relationship Coach diploma, and over four years of experience in writing. She writes about relationships and lifestyle.Sneha began her career as an instructional designer, shifted to freelance technical and research writing, and self-published a novella on the theme of adolescent mental health.
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asmita de Asmita De is an associate editor with over three years of experience. She graduated in English Literature from the University of Calcutta. She has collaborated with several digital companies and reputed publishing houses as an editor.
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gracia odile Gracia Odile is a teacher-turned-beauty and lifestyle writer with three years of professional experience. She has a bachelor's degree in English from St. Stephen's College, a master's in Anthropology from the University of Madras, and a degree in education from GGSIPU.
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In This Article
Relationships that are healthy bring joy to both partners. But stress in relationships can do just the opposite. Stress may creep in at later stages of a relationship. Miscommunication, disagreements, arguments, different life goals, and bickering can out a strain on any relationship. Handling the stress tactfully can help prevent a separation or breakup. If you are struggling to do so, we can help. Here are a few effective ways to deal with stress in a relationship. Read on to know more!
Common Causes Of Stress In Relationships
- Trust Issues
Trust issues in a relationship might lead to stress
. If your partner is cheating on you or lying, such situations can cause stress. It develops a feeling of insecurity, inferiority complex, and demotivation. If you feel your trust is broken, discuss with your partner openly to know the real scenario and prevent awful thoughts that aggravate anxiety.
- Family Expectations
Families can be another reason for stress in a relationship. If your partner fails to accept your parents as their own and shows negligible interest in them, the situation gets stressful. On the other hand, too much involvement of your or their parents can affect the relationship, leading to stress.
- Communication Gap
Is there nothing left to talk about in your relationship apart from how to run the house and raise the kids? Where there is no flow of communication about each other’s lives and challenges experienced personally and professionally, it makes a relationship stressful. So, be a good listener, support each other, understand each other’s feelings, and communicate well to keep your relationship in shape.
- Ego Clashes
Ego clashes are common in relationships, but they should not become a reason for stress. They happen when one person considers themselves more mature, intelligent, and a high earner than the other. Such conflicts can also occur when you disgrace each other, fail to understand each other’s minds, or differ in opinions.
- Jealousy
It is hard to identify how jealousy creeps into a relationship. If you have lost trust in your partner, this causes jealousy, insecurity, or a fear of betrayal.
- Lack Of Time For Each Other
You both promised the world to each other and to be by each other’s side no matter what. But nothing as such is left with the passage of time. You both are lost in the race of life and have no time to sit back, relax, and spend some leisure time with each other. There are no discussions, acts of empathy, communication, and warm gestures between you both.
- Lack Of Physical Intimacy
If there is no physical intimacy and none of you take any initiative to love each other, it turns the relationship stressful. Several factors, such as raising a baby and professional commitments, might snatch your time for making love. Or maybe you are suspicious about your partner’s extramarital affair, which stops you from having sex, leading to stress and anxiety.
- Financial Status
You got into a relationship thinking you both will manage to sail through, come what may! But life is full of highs and lows. Your financial status can cause stress in your relationship if you do not have sufficient money to pay your bills or support your dreams. Such situations can be distressing for you both, which compel on forging different ways in life.
- Negativity
You overthink and reach to the extremes, be it anything? If your partner promised a movie night but got home late, you start overthinking or cursing your life. If you often find your partner on calls, you think they are ignoring you. All these might not be true, and they can be genuinely busy. But your own thoughts are spreading negativity and leading to a stressful relationship.
- Loss Of Interest
You do not find your relationship as adventurous and lively as it used to be. Life has become boring, and daily it is the same old thing. There is nothing new from their or your side to keep the relationship alive and steamy. Such scenarios can make you lose interest in your partner and contribute to stress in a relationship.
Stress can drown a relationship. It affects the couple mentally and physically while screwing the children’s life. Check out below some adverse effects of stress in a relationship.
What Are The Effects Of Stress In A Relationship?
- Disrespect
If your stress is caused by trust issues, communication gaps, and lack of time for each other, it can develop a feeling of disrespect for your partner. Your chaotic mind will refrain from understanding the situation with peace. You might also feel your partner is not loyal. In return, you tend to demean and disrespect your partner.
- Disturbed Children
You have your reasons to bring upon stress in the relationship, but your kids are unaware of the happenings. When they watch their parents arguing and fighting, they tend to pick up similar behavior and react in the same manner with their peers. Your stressful relationship can take a toll on your kids’ mindset and turn them into devastated ones.
- Health Issues
Stressful relationships can develop certain ailments such as diabetes, digestive disorders, acne, burnouts, insomnia, sexual disorders, tooth and gum issues, obesity, hair loss, and hyperthyroidism. Prolonged stress can lead to depression and erratic behavior. Overthinking can cause mental health issues like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.
- Indecisiveness
Mismanagement, indecisiveness, and instability is another negative impact of stress in a relationship. People with unhealthy relationships find it difficult to concentrate and focus. They are disinterested in the current happenings and even find it challenging to pay attention to their personal and professional life.
- Isolation
Those who suffer from stress in a relationship tend to be less empathic towards their partners and prefer staying isolated. This isolation and social cut-off can impact kids and others associated with them and disturb their lives.
How To Deal With Stress In A Relationship
- Recognize The Symptoms
Try to understand the reason behind your partner’s erratic and inconsistent behavior. If you or your partner feels cranky, moody, angry, hyper, restless, or overexcited, it might be due to stress. Speak to each other and try to reach a conclusion regarding the problem.
Pro Tip- Communicate And Listen
Communication is the key to a deeper bond. Try to initiate a healthy conversation with your partner and listen to what they have to say. The grievances and conflicts can be solved with empathetic behavior. Show some compassion and love to each other – this will ensure that you are always there for each other.
- Do Not Make False Promises
Do not make promises that you cannot keep. If you fail to deliver promises, your partner can overthink and develop a feeling of being left out or avoided.
- Pamper Your Partner
If your partner is occupied with running the house, do not take it another way round and stop showing love and intimacy. Rather, keep them pampered with love messages, sweet notes, or short calls to check up on them. Show them love and care to make them understand their value in your life. They will feel special and might try to manage some time out from their busy schedules.
Quick Tip- Remain Involved With Each Other
The more you get involved with your partner, the more you will feel happy and fulfilled. It will also help banish negativity and gain trust. If you have any doubts, clear them upfront but in a subtle manner so that none of you gets hurt. Ask your partner to be a helping hand and get involved with you in household work. Similarly, show interest in what they like to do. You both can also participate in couple activities to keep the bond stronger.
- Talk To Couple Counselors
Sometimes, the stress in a relationship may be too much for you both to manage. This is where couple counselors can help. Talking to these counselors may provide a better insight into the trouble areas in your relationship and they can give you both an unbiased view of the problem. This will help you navigate the stress better by improving communication with each other and finding ways to overcome the issue. Counseling will open your eyes to ignored issues and help you talk through the challenges, encouraging growth and healing. If your partner feels uncomfortable talking to a counselor, you can attend sessions alone, as it will provide you a stress outlet and help you get professional advice on how to manage the problem. Some couples even see different counselors, however it is always recommended to visit one together so both partner’s opinions are heard out.
Stress in relationships can stem from various factors such as disagreements, expectations, miscommunication, trust issues, and bickering over routine tasks. This stress can manifest as disrespect towards the partner, health issues, isolation, and disturbed children in some cases. It can be detrimental to everybody involved and the relationship in general. The stress can lead to separation or breakups if not managed timely and effectively. Be a good listener and communicator, pay attention to your partner, express love to them through gifts, physical affection, and words of affirmation, and find time to participate in activities together to mitigate stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can stress cause a man not to want to be intimate?
Yes. Stress can cause a man to lose interest in being intimate.
How do I know if my relationship is stressed?
If you are overthinking, overanalyzing, constantly arguing, and never able to discuss the issues with your partner, they may be early signs of a stressed relationship.
Key Takeaways
- Trust issues can cause stress in a relationship. It might also lead to insecurity, inferiority complex, and anxiety.
- Family expectations and financial crisis play a major role in causing stress in a relationship.
- To deal with stress in a relationship, identify the root cause of the trouble, strengthen your communication, and remain involved in each other’s lives.
Learn five practical ways to reduce stress in your relationships from this video. From communication tips to self-care practices, discover effective strategies for fostering healthier and more harmonious connections. Figure out how to enjoy your love life by clicking play.
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