How Stress Affects Your Relationship

Rebecca Lewis January 06, 2015

Every couple goes through periods of emotional ups and downs that often bring serious stress to their relationship. Add the other sources of stress, like work and family. When things go beyond control, your relationship is at risk.

It is therefore important to understand how stress affects your relationship. Managing emotional stress is one way to prevent arguments that could lead to painful consequences. Finding a way to have a conversation where you can talk about how stress affects you and your partner and what triggers it is a great start to resolve this relationship threat.

Here are some more tips on how to handle stress in your relationship.

Know what’s causing it.

Many times, stress can be tricky. You may find yourself saying “I’m so stressed” for reason you cannot figure out. So it is important that you figure out what’s bothering you. Take time to find out what the problem is and discuss it with your partner. When your partner is aware of what’s causing you to feel stressed, he or she can think about ways to help you get over it.

Keep the lines open.

Staying connected is one of the keys to managing relationship stress. Turning away from your partner in times of stress is a destructive behaviour that can take a huge toll on your relationship. Being silent about it can only increase feelings of anger and frustrations. And the next thing you know, you are already exchanging harsh words with each other. You can deal with relationship stress by turning to each other often. When you are stressed, let your partner know. At the same time, always be there for your partner when he or she is going through a difficult situation. Staying connected is easy. It can be in the form of talking about the events that have happened during the day. Asking your partner how his or her day has been is one way to show your empathy and concern. Staying connected helps you build the trust and confidence you both need so you can discuss heavier and tougher topics when they arise.

Find balance.

There will be many days when you will feel overwhelmed by your work. This can cause problems in your relationship. Work stress has long been linked with unhappiness in marriage. Sometimes, we tend to carry the stress at work to our home, wherein our family members, especially our spouse, become the shock absorber. Creating a work-life balance is essential if you’re trying to keep the stress levels low in your romantic relationship. Don’t to stay connected through cell phones, emails and other technology during your rest days, so you can have more time to spent for with your partner and loved ones.

Seek help.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and don’t know how to get back on track with a healthy relationship, it is a good idea to seek professional help from a qualified counsellor or therapist. Counselling is a great venue to get information and resources you need to help manage your stress so it does not affect all aspects of your life, particularly your relationship.

Stress comes in many form. And no matter how much you try to get away from it, it will always be a part of your life. It is true that there is no cure-all for stress. But there are many ways to cope with it which you can try. Don’t let stress ruin your relationship. By understanding what’s causing your stress, staying connected with your partner, finding balance, and seeking professional help, you can effectively manage stress and keep your relationship stronger.