Can Marriage Cause Anxiety? How Relationship Conflict Affects Your Mental Health

Marriage may actually lower anxiety—but conflict inside marriage can do the opposite. 

A large multinational study carried out by Scott et al. (2010) with over 34,000 adult participants showed that married adults had a lower risk of various kinds of conditions, including anxiety, compared to adults who have never been married.

However, there is no such thing as a perfect relationship, even the healthiest of relationships experience challenges and conflict. If conflicts are left unresolved they can create a great deal of damage to your relationship. 

Together in this article we will focus on what causes anxiety in marriages and what you can do about it. 

Causes of Anxiety in Marriage

There are many possible things, including marital disagreements, that can contribute to your anxiety. Anxiety may differ in severity depending on the underlying factors that brought it on. In itself, anxiety is the body’s natural response to feeling threatened or endangered. In marriage, there can be both serious and less serious challenges that cause anxiety. Some of the most common causes of anxiety in marriage include:

  • Loss of Trust
  • Arguing
  • Negativity and Lack of Intimacy
  • Stress

A bit of anxiety does not mean you have a full-blown anxiety disorder, and most marriages can survive minor anxiety without consequence. However, all couples experience a certain level of distress and worry when marital discord interrupts an otherwise happy relationship. 

The main indicator that your anxiety has become problematic is if it interferes with your life and doesn’t show signs of improving. If symptoms are not treated, anxiety may lead to further problems with your marriage. Couples counseling can help.  

The Damaging Effect of Anxiety on a Couple’s Well-Being

If your symptoms of anxiety are left untreated and not properly communicated they may lead to a host of other issues. This can be particularly true if you have past, unresolved anxiety or trauma. This can lead to insecurities in your relationship amongst other things.

Unresolved anxiety not only hurts the person experiencing it, but often affects all areas of their life, including their relationships. In most cases, when anxiety is triggered, it is family and friends who face the brunt of it. Without knowledge and understanding of anxiety, serious long-term damage can result.

Where to Turn for Help

Spouses with concerns regarding anxiety may benefit from professional help to manage symptoms before they get worse. If you or your spouse has symptoms of anxiety, it’s important to know that you are not alone and that anxiety is highly treatable.

At Carolina Counseling Services – Sanford, NC, there are many forms of effective treatment for anxiety. Our contracted counselors are passionate and committed to helping individuals understand and overcome anxiety. They provide a safe and comfortable environment where you can freely express your fears, worries. Without judgment or bias you can learn new ways to cope and respond. 

Psychiatric medication management can also be a powerful tool in treating anxiety effectively. CCS also contracts with exceptional licensed psychiatric professionals who know how to treat anxiety.  

Call CCS today to schedule your first appointment. Online counseling sessions are available!

Our Sanford office conveniently serves clients throughout Sanford, Holly Springs, Broadway, Smithfield, Lexington, and surrounding communities. We also offer secure online therapy appointments across North Carolina, making access to quality mental health care more convenient than ever.

Our providers are in network with many major insurance plans, including Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Tricare, Medicaid, Medicare, and others.

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