The older I get, the more pressure I feel to be in a long-term relationship – and the harder it gets
‘I can feel the impact on my mental health and confidence’ .I am a woman in my early 30s. I have a lot of anxiety about sex and relationships, which holds me back from forming the intimate connections I crave. I can appear confident in my day-to-day life but I’m very insecure and sensitive to rejection. I do have close friends but it can take years to build those relationships.
These feelings are especially extreme relating to sex. It was a problem in my last relationship – I would struggle to feel comfortable even though we knew each other well. It was a big factor in why we broke up. I can feel the impact on my mental health and confidence in other areas of my life. I feel a lot of shame and embarrassment about it, as if people are judging me.