First of all know that dating anxiety is a common thing. Both men and women tend to suffer from this condition, especially if it is during the first date, or worse during a blind date!
Not knowing what to expect creates an environment of uncertainty. This is the time when individuals bask in self-doubt. They allow themselves to ponder questions that lead to anxiety such as: whether or not their dates are going to like them. They also wonder if they picked the perfect place, or just the right outfit for the occasion.
When individuals experience anxiety, every little thing, even trivial concerns are magnified a hundred times. This is why people who are experiencing this condition tend to worry about things that normally they would not worry about.
But strangely enough, it is these exact same elements that come with dating that some other people find exciting. They just love the rush that goes with greeting their date for the very first time.
Some like the anticipation of what is in store for the evening. They wonder if the night would actually end with a kiss, and secretly they try device a plan that would work towards meeting this end!
Unfortunately there are some people who are prone to developing anxiety attacks when it comes to dating! Luckily, there are some things that individuals can do to counteract this evil.
Here's a list of some of the things that you can do to keep dating anxiety in control:
1. Fess up. If your face is turning blue, and your hands are breaking into pools of sweat, it is pretty obvious that something is wrong. Why not explain to your date that you have a tendency to become nervous when it comes to dating.
Look at it this way, if you are with someone special, a person who truly cares about you, they will immediately come to your aid with words of comfort. Not only will they appreciate your honestly, but they will be supportive and make an effort to put you at ease.
2. Don't forget to breath! Sounds simple enough, but when a person is stricken with panic attacks their heartbeat becomes accelerated and sometimes even erratic. This is why some find it difficult to breath. The best thing to do in this situation is to take long, deep breaths. This will help calm you down, until you catch your breath.
If you are in a stuffy room, or a crowded place, it would be best to excuse yourself for a few minutes so you can get out and get some fresh air. Later if you wish, you can explain what happened to your date.
2. Don't blame yourself. Sometimes things don't run so smoothly despite our best effort to make things go as planned. Some unexpected thing always seem to come up!
If this unexpected thing happened to be that you did not succeed in getting a handle on your anxiety during the date, therefore resulting in a bad date, don't kill yourself with self loathing. Give yourself a break! Bad days happen to everyone, anxiety or no anxiety!
Besides if the person that you are going out with has true feelings for you, that person will be supportive. Just shrug it off, it is not a big deal!
4. Think positive thoughts. When a person starts to become riddled with self-doubt and apprehensions, this is the time when anxiety comes in.
Instead of beating yourself up mentally over your lack of self confidence and uncertainty, give yourself a pep talk. Tell yourself to relax, and enjoy the moment.
Remember that people's attitude shape their perception of their environment. So instead of focusing on your insecurities, focus on having a good time. A little bit of attitude tweaking goes a long way in helping keep anxiety under control.
5. Don't be too hard on yourself. Don't set a goal to be the perfect date! This will definitely lead you to an anxiety attack! Don't worry about saying the right things all the time. Everyone commits mistakes and foibles. The difference is most people don't dwell on it! This is why these people don't get anxiety attacks. They can just enjoy themselves.
Going on a date is never easy, whether you are a veteran of many heartbreaks or just new to the game. The important thing for individuals to remember is to not put too much pressure on themselves, but to have a good time! |
