Texting anxiety – A complete guide
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Texting anxiety – A complete guide in how a person can stop the feeling of always texting
In this guide, we will discuss texting anxiety and how people can stop feeling anxious when receiving or sending a text message.
Texting Anxiety
Technology has modified the way people communicate today.
Media such as letter and phone calls were the main ones, currently text messages are the main means by which people keep in touch.
The ease of writing a few words, regardless of distance and time, makes the communication process easier.
The Smartphone arrived so that the person has greater accessibility when communicating with others.
It is easy and fast to write a message while executing other tasks, multitasking is at the order of the day.
With the speed that is lived in today’s society, people are immersed in activities that they consider important and often forget to perform other actions, one of these is to respond to a message that another person has sent.
When the person who has sent a message to another one sees that after receiving it, does not receive an answer, many things can go through its mind.
Some think that the other person has not been able to respond because they are busy with activities such as working, cleaning or taking care of the children.
Others take it further, to what can be considered as to the personal ground.
There are people who, when they do not receive an immediate response to a text message they have sent, begin to generate thoughts such as: ” He doesn’t want to talk to me”, “Will she be upset about something I did?” “You’ve ignored me!” and several related messages.
These thoughts show that the main function by which instant messaging was created is lost.
The fact that a person sent a message does not mean that they should receive an immediate response.
Assuming that others must react to the way someone wants to show that the person is going through a series of situations that can alter their perception of anything.
In this case, when a person has certain interpretations about why their text message has not been answered at once, we could say that this person has texting anxiety.
What is texting anxiety?
Texting anxiety can be defined as the excessive concern a person develops when sending a message and not receiving an immediate response or the concern generated by the messages it receives and the responses to what it has sent.
Other behaviours that accompany texting anxiety are that the person feels that it has sent the wrong message, that what it wrote can be interpreted differently, causing all this to interfere with its life.
Today, people use their phone constantly. A text message arrives and once they open the application to check what they have received.
Seeing that a message arrived that they did not expect, seeing that the arrow is blue and still does not respond causes the person to generate extreme anxiety.
When a person develops texting anxiety, it interferes with other aspects of their daily life.
When feeling anxious, the person spends a lot of time thinking about what generates anxiety, in this case, the text messages.
Spends all its time thinking about why it received that answer, why it still doesn’t respond and similar thoughts that make the person not focus on the important things of its life.
There have been several studies on how the use of mobile phone influences people’s productivity.
Using the phone constantly during working hours affects productivity and can lead to losses in the workplace.
The person during work hours takes the cell phone to look at text messages or any other application, immersing themselves in hours that should be used to work.
When a person has texting anxiety, the time that goes by is to look at the text messages it has sent, that it has received and those that have not yet arrived.
In many cases, texting anxiety is caused when a person does not understand the real concept that involves the use of text messages.
Many people assume that, due to the speed that new technologies have given today, that translates to the rapid or almost automatic response of any type of message.
When a person does not understand these concepts, it understands that it should receive a quick response, it is like quick gratification.
There are several symptoms manifested by a person with texting anxiety, among which are the following:
- The sensation of nervousness, agitation or tension
- Increased heart rate
- Panic sensation
- Accelerated breathing
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Problems concentrating or thinking about something the current concern
- Trouble falling asleep
- Difficulties controlling worries
- Tiredness
The symptoms of texting anxiety can negatively influence people’s lives, just like any mental illness.
The excessive worry generated by any situation or fact means that the person cannot focus its mind on something else.
Being always distracted does not perform any of the functions that must be performed.
How to deal with texting anxiety
Anxiety texting, like all types of anxiety, is a disease and needs treatment.
Depending on the level of anxiety that the person has and how it affects their life, the person should seek professional help to understand where they need to receive rapid responses to text messages sent comes.
The mental health professional will help the person understand where the anguish and excessive worry come from, and accordingly, it will proceed to give the person a series of techniques that you can implement in its life.
One of the first things that a person must do to eliminate texting anxiety is to understand that every message they send should not be answered immediately.
The best thing a person can do is let it go.
The solution is not to focus on thinking because the person still does not receive an answer, it is better not to emit any thoughts and continue executing your daily tasks.
Another solution is to spend less time using a cell phone.
Being looking at the phone all day, waiting for an answer or thinking that writing has nothing positive.
If the person wants to talk to someone and depending on the urgency it has, it can use other forms of communicating.
If the person has something important to tell someone a call is a good option. If it is for work matters, sending an email is the most appropriate.
A text message for labour matters is not very formal. If the person is going out with a family member or friends, leaving the phone aside is a good solution.
The person does not have to be looking at the phone while sharing with other people since, at the end of the day, the cell phone is to communicate with the people and if the person is in the presence of someone with whom it wants to talk, it is not necessary to respond during that moment.
Using relaxation techniques will help the person feel less anxious and calmer when it receives a message or when it feels that its message must be answered.
Besides, meditating makes the person focus on the here and now and eliminates all the stress it has accumulated.
FAQs about texting anxiety
How long should a person take to reply to a text message?
There is no specific time to respond to a message since at the time of replying there are several variables that can influence.
A person who is busy doing a job on many occasions cannot respond immediately.
Depending on the subject of the message, the response the person is going to receive will be different because if a person sends a message as a matter of urgency and does not receive a response in a prudent time, the other person may not be interested.
As it was said before, there is no a set time, it will already depend on factors such as what the other person is doing, the character of the message and the type of relationship the person have with another to respond to a message.
How can a person know if it suffers from texting anxiety?
An excessive concern when sending a message and then seeing how it react to waiting for an answer is one of the indications so that a person can know if they suffer from texting anxiety.
Also, being aware of each text message it receives and looking at the phone every second helps identify the symptoms of anxiety.
What can a person do if after a few days it has not received a reply to its message?
The person should not do anything if they do not receive a response from their message.
The other person will have reasons for not wanting to answer.
It is better to leave the situation in this way and not to think why the other person still does not respond to the message sent.
Is it wise to send text messages at night?
If the reason is for some urgent sending a text message at night is prudent, but if it is not for a specific reason it is best to wait in the morning or afternoon to send a text message.
It is best not to send text messages after 9 p.m.
Is it correct to ask a person why they have not answered the text messages?
If the person is curious to know why their text message has not been answered, they can ask politely.
Each person has their reasons for not responding to a text message.
In many cases, it is better not to ask, unless the reason for sending the text message is due to urgency.
The important thing when asking is to maintain the level of education, there is no reason to insult and offences in the conversation.
Conclusion
Text messaging is one of the forms of communication most used by people to stay in communication because it is easy and simple to stay in dialogue.
Understanding that not all messages must be answered at once and developing excessive concern when sending a message can cause the person to develop texting anxiety.
Sending a text message or waiting for an answer should not be a cause for the person to develop anxiety.
The person must understand that not everything deserves a quick and immediate response.
If the expected response is not received at the expected time, the person should simply relax and continue with their daily activities.
The speed that is lived in today’s society should not be reasons for someone to develop stress from simple activities of daily living.
Recommended links
Recommended videos
- 10 Signs Texting is Psychologically Hurting You
- How to Stop Anxiously Waiting For A Text Back
Take Control of Your Anxiety Today: Personalized Counseling with BetterHelp
