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Abandonment Anxiety

You’re Not Alone: Reframing Abandonment Anxiety

It’s been months, and many of us have yet to return to “life as normal”.

As human beings, we know that we all crave connection.

What happens when that connection is taken away from you for an extended period of time? COVID-19 has brought with it many things.

The least of which are feelings of disappointment, fear or anxiety, and even abandonment.

It might be easy to see yourself as being left, but it’s also possible that your loved ones are feeling the same way!

The truth is, you are not alone. This is an emotional and challenging time, but there are people around who value your relationship with them and wish to connect with you. Creatively, we can get through COVID-19 and overcome these new fears and feelings together.

If you’ve been struggling with feelings of loneliness or feelings of abandonment lately, chances are the current state of the world has probably brought up some old feelings. Not to mention how challenging it is for friends to connect with you in the same way as before.

We have a few tips and tricks to help you view the situation differently, and hopefully, help to ease your fear of abandonment or anxious thoughts!

Ask yourself if it’s possible they’re just busy.

It’s easy to say “They left me”. But have you ever taken on too much? Or been overwhelmed because of the coronavirus? Relationships with those around us are valuable and important, but they all go through ebbs and flows! It’s possible that they’re just busy, or even feeling anxious themselves. They will respond to you when they’re able.

Be Thankful.

We know it sounds simple, but focusing on the good things in your relationships and being thankful for them can help you to overcome any fears or anxiety about being abandoned or abandonment. Gratitude can help to bring a little love and light to places that may feel dark. Sometimes the best way to combat anxious thoughts and fears is by saying thank you!

Put your phone down.

Let’s be honest, social media isn’t always the best for our mental health. If scrolling your news feed is triggering anxious thoughts or bringing up old fears, put it down. Breathe in deeply through your nose for five seconds, and out through your mouth for five seconds. Repeat this 5x, and then go for a walk. Sometimes, you just need to get out of your head to gain a new perspective.

Ask yourself what you would do if you were together.

It’s easy to feel lonely and abandoned if you’re sitting by yourself dwelling on what you could be doing together. Abandonment Anxiety is real, but focusing on those anxious feelings and fears can amplify the anxiety. We always believe in getting the tools to help from a professional in situations like these, but distracting yourself from anxious thoughts may help in the meantime. You’re worth spending time with, and it’s okay to enjoy things on your own! Order dinner from your favorite restaurant to-go, or rent a movie! You’ll have an enjoyable night, and your focus won’t be on feelings of abandonment.

Anxious feelings are real, and so is the fear of abandonment, or abandonment anxiety.

It can happen to anyone!

If you’re having a difficult time getting those feelings of abandonment under control or could use someone to talk to about treating abandonment issues – give us a call!

Our texting hotline is available from 7-10 PM/ 7 days a week. Our kind and compassionate clinicians would love to help you overcome abandonment anxiety in any way they can.

Call: 716.710.5172
Text: 585.543.1015

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