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It doesn't take witnessing a bridezilla meltdown for you to know that weddings can be very stressful. Between the party-planning details and the looming prospect of spending your life with one person forever, wedding season can trigger an abnormal level of anxiety in many people.
"Marriage is one of those relationships that gets to the epicenter of our early psychological and emotional concerns," Akua K. Boateng, PhD, LPC, licensed psychotherapist in Philadelphia. So, if you're about to tie the knot, it's only natural that you'd have some concerns or fears.
Most of us refer to this uncertainty as "cold feet" or "wedding jitters." But if you're someone who already has anxiety, you might be inclined to "catastrophize," or spin a worst-case possible scenario out of every situation. In this case, you might feel like you're one decision away from doing the wrong thing with your life.
To be clear, a little bit of anxiety can be a good thing when you're getting married, says Amy Simpson, MS, LMFT, a marriage and family therapist in Cranston, RI. "That's the thing that kind of motivates us to get stuff done," she says. Anxiety can also be protective, and it's sort of a signal for us to put our proverbial seatbelt on before committing to something major, she adds. The key is being able to tell the difference between good jitters and a sinking feeling that you need to redirect course.
Ahead are tips from Dr. Boateng and Simpson, whether you're a bride-to-be or are second-guessing any long-term relationship.
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