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My boyfriend's reaction to my anxiety...

I've struggled (silently) with anxiety for many years now but took the plunge to speak to my GP and have finally been prescribed beta blockers. I decided to tell my boyfriend of 2 years and he didn't believe me, he said he thought I was making it up and that I'm "not that bad". I know I haven't been completely honest with him, he definitely didn't know the full extent of my anxiety but he knows I'm a really anxious person and that I struggle.
I got upset that he didn't believe me and now he's trying to be supportive but I feel like I should never have told him. It's made me feel even more anxious now becuase I feel like he thinks I'm mentally ill or I have problems, I don't know I just think I should have kept it to myself

Reply 1

username5484630

I understand both sides of what is going on. I think people without anxiety tend to see it as how some people portray it, but nobody knows what it's like unless they have it. They can't imagine what it's like. So for him to say you are making it up is wrong, but I don't think he intended it to be that way. I think he's just trying his best to be supportive and that is a good thing. I think it's better that you told him, so he knows what you go through. It would be a problem if he had a problem with that, but I am glad that he's trying to be supportive. I hope this helped :redface:

What do you mean?

If he believes you now and is trying to be supportive, I would see that as a good sign - his initial reaction was bad but he realises that and is trying to change. Try and keep lines of communication open and be honest with him about what this means to you and what you need from him, and hopefully it'll work out :hugs: