How to deal with the anxiety of online dating

Dating apps are hugely popular ways to meet people, but for people with social anxiety, they may prove to be both a bonus and a problem. But experts tell Bustle that if you have social anxiety, using a dating app can be helpful because it takes the pressure off in-person meetings — at least initially. If you have social anxiety and are considering online dating, the results may be challenging — but that, in the end, may also help you grow. Social anxiety disorder, according to the American Psychological Association, involves anxiety around "being embarrassed, humiliated, rejected or looked down on in social interactions", and dating and meeting new people are serious triggers for anxieties even in non-anxious people. This, experts on social anxiety explain, makes sense. Being able to pause and really consider one's words before typing rather than being put on the spot in a conversation can be very useful to folks living with social anxiety," Stefani Goerlich LCSW, a social worker and relationship therapist, tells Bustle.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychological disorder in the US, affecting 18 percent of the adult population. Social anxiety disorder SAD is the third-most-common psychological disorder, affecting 15 million men and women in the US. In this way, dating only adds fuel to the anxiety fire. Rife with opportunities for awkward conversations and infinite unknown factors — Will she show up? Will he like me? What do I say? What if I say too much?

Most of us feel at least a little nervous when starting a new relationship. This is perfectly normal. But, if you have panic disorder or another anxiety disorder, the anxiety can be overwhelming. For those who muster up the courage to venture into a new relationship, the experience can be tainted by worry or panic attacks to such a degree that the encounter is hardly enjoyable.

Every relationship comes with its share of challenges. To make those ups and downs easier to decipher, it's helpful to learn how your partner's anxiety manifests. Such a shared understanding of anxiety can even help make your relationship stronger, since you'll be able to see your partner's internal struggles clearly and compassionately. Here are eight tips that will help you wrangle with the anxiety together, rather than let it take over your relationship. To you, anxiety may seem a normal emotion that everyone experiences at times.