4 Dating Tips for Teens With Anxiety
Dating, especially as a teen, is hard enough as it is, but doing it with the additional weight of an anxiety disorder? Now that can feel nearly impossible.
However, dating with anxiety doesn't have to be that difficult when you keep a few key things in mind. With that said, look below for a few of our dating tips for teens with anxiety.
1. Get to Know Yourself Better
Okay, so this sounds pretty broad at first. What we mean, though, is that you need to know both your anxious tendencies and your preferences when it comes to dating. Learn what your most anxious habits are, whether you're a deflector in conversations or a classic nail-biter or anything in between. Also get to know who you are outside of just your anxiety though—from your personality type to your love languages and everything else that makes you you.
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2. Set Yourself Some Healthy Boundaries
Being an anxious dater can mean agreeing to things you're not comfortable with just to please the person you're dating (or the person you want to date, if you haven't gotten that far yet). Instead of crossing a line you're not comfortable with—whether that's a physical line or just an emotional one—try to first set yourself some healthy boundaries. This could be something as simple as not agreeing to a date if you already had plans with friends that night or not texting the person you've started talking to after a certain time at night, but it really comes down to you and what your unique boundaries are when it comes to relationships.
3. Embrace a Sense of Confidence
Fake it 'til you make it is the way to go when it comes to confidence, which is a key part of pushing your anxiety to the side when dating. Remember how amazing you are even without a partner and you'll soon see why you have no need to be worried about how someone else is perceiving you at all times.
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4. Find Some Healthy/Happy Ways to Distract Yourself
When you're an anxious dater, it can be all too easy to fall into a trap of worrying about the person you're dating's every move. Why aren't they answering your text? Why haven't they complimented you yet today? Why haven't they tried to be exclusive yet? These questions are limiting you and causing you to spiral into a sea of self-doubt, but it needs to stop. Instead of allowing yourself to fall further down the rabbit hole that anxiety wants to push you down, find some healthy distractions. Try taking a new hobby, reading your favorite book or just hanging out with your best friends. Do whatever it is that makes you happiest! Whether you're single or not, you'll soon see why you have no reason to let anxiety get the better of you by doing so.
To read more about dating with anxiety and dive deeper into our advice, click HERE for what to know about dating with anxiety.