Going on dates might be an exciting part of getting to know potential partners, but it can also be a challenge for most individuals who don’t have the same experience as someone that’s active in the dating scene.
But no matter how many times you’ve been telling yourself that you’re going to be alright while you’re going on a date, you can’t help but feel a bit nervous on your first meet-up with someone you like.
What if it doesn’t work out? What’s going to be my date’s first impressions of me? These are just some of the questions that fly over people’s thoughts and are generally known for being the source of anxiety.
Contrary to what many individuals think, anxiety isn’t just ‘worrying’ about a particular thing. Sometimes, anxiety disorder and panic attacks can spring out at the most inopportune time without any reason, which can be emotionally taxing and embarrassing on the person with anxiety.
But even though going on dates can be challenging for most individuals with social anxiety and anxiety in general, it’s still possible to make a good first impression. So what are some ways of managing anxiety when going on a date? How do you keep your composure?
Get Some Apps That Help
By help, we don’t necessarily mean seeing a psychiatrist (although there’s no hurt in going to one), but having someone who is well-versed in matching individuals. If you don’t want to bother with someone who might set you up on “blind” dates, you can always consult matchmaking apps.
It’s important to note that anxiety usually stems from uncertainty. If you’re not certain about your date or with yourself, you’re bound to worry about how things will play out during the date. A great way of removing anxiety from the equation, especially if you’ve only known your partner through online dating applications, is by using a data-driven system.
Chemistry is a big factor during the first dates. When you’re dating someone, the first thing that you want is to ensure that both your personalities are “compatible.” Luckily, some state-of-the-art online matchmakers areknown for giving high-quality results based on a complex algorithm.
Prepare for Your Date
One of the best ways of removing social anxiety is by being confident that you’re going to ace your first date. That said, you should definitely come prepared mentally, physically, and emotionally. Do you have any information about the person that you can use to bring up conversations with? This will help you get a conversation going. Still, don’t try to stress yourself out in preparing questions or talking points since this can be counter-intuitive and can only flare up your anxiety.
It’s also important to note that everybody wants to talk about themselves, but you’ll need to have a balance of not talking too much about yourself and also to ask questions to know the other person better.
Be Optimistic
When you’re anxious, you might feel negative energy flowing through your body. Although it might be challenging to resist feelings of nervousness and frustration, you’ll need to power through being more positive. Think of yourself as a mirror: if you smile to yourself, then you’ll see how you look great when you’re happy.
Communication Is Key
Although many individuals with anxiety might find it hard communicating during the first few minutes of the meet-up, it doesn’t hurt to make an effort to communicate. Having two-way communication and exchanging ideas can help eliminate the anxiety you might be feeling. This is a great way of “distracting” yourself from your feelings by thinking of something meaningful.
When you start dating someone, you’ll need to be comfortable around them, and a part of that is being open with your feelings. You don’t have to disclose your anxiety on the first few dates, but you can always let them know after you two become comfortable with each other.
In certain situations, people don’t share personal information like mental illnesses during the first few dates, which is fine and acceptable. But once you are now on a commitment with the individual, you should let them know ahead of time.
There are various ways to manage your anxiety right before your date. You might want to take some steps to alleviate your anxiety, but you have to be mindful that you should just be yourself during the date. Instead of focusing on the what-ifs and what will happen during the date, you can just let your day play out naturally. All you have to do is chill out and have a good time.
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