Tackle Pre-Wedding Jitters: Anxiety, Depression & Stress

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If you are becoming a bride soon, this may be an exciting and overwhelming time in your life. You may not know precisely how to feel since you are likely busy doing many things and getting ready for your wedding. 

This can cause pre-wedding depression and lead to you acting a bit unlike yourself. Keep reading for what these jitters are and how you can tackle them.

According to Grady Shumway, a licensed mental health counselor:

It’s completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and anxiety as your wedding day approaches, and recognizing these emotions is the first step toward addressing them.

Prioritizing self-care and allowing yourself moments of reflection can help you navigate pre-wedding jitters and embrace the joy of this special time.

What are pre-wedding jitters?

Essentially, pre-wedding jitters are all the feelings you have when you are on the verge of getting married. You may be anxious and scared, worried, and unsure of the future. 

Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you aren’t excited to start the next phase of your life, however. Planning a wedding can be overwhelming, and there are so many details to work out when you are about to get married that it may cause you to feel stress and anxiety.

Related Reading: How to Deal With Wedding Stress- 4 Tips

Signs of pre-wedding jitters

There are a few signs that can let you know that you have pre-wedding nerves and jitters. If you are experiencing these pre-wedding jitters symptoms, you may need to take the opportunity to relax a bit. 

For instance, you can try mindfulness exercises to reduce stress, which should only take a moment of your time.

You can also watch this video if you are scared before your marriage:

1. Changes in sleeping habits

Anytime you are experiencing pre-wedding depression, there may be canges in your sleeping habits. You may be sleeping too few hours or too many. You should concentrate on getting the proper amount of sleep, which is between 6 and 8 hours each night. 

Make a list every night of the things you need to do the next day, and this may be able to prevent you from staying up all night worrying about small details related to the wedding.

2. Changes in eating habits

While many brides want to look good in their wedding dress and will go on a diet, it is important to watch how and what you are eating. If you are indulging in fatty and salty foods, this is likely because of anxiety before a wedding. 

Do your best to eat a balanced diet and make sure you get the proper calories. It is okay to sneak a treat or two, but don’t overindulge or eat too little. 

If you are feeling worn out, you can ask your doctor about supplements or stay awake with coffee or tea; just make sure you don’t drink too much since it could affect your sleep cycle.

3. Experiencing moodiness

Something else that you may notice when you are anxious about getting married is that you are experiencing moodiness. It may be that you are getting angry with people easily, or you feel like your emotions are all over the place. 

You may be laughing one minute and smiling the next. This is to be expected since you are going through a lot. Marriage is about starting a new life together, and becoming a family can take a while to get used to.

4. Focus issues

A bride may also have focus issues that affect her anxiety about marriage. This may be because there are so many details to consider or because she simply has too much to do. 

It may be in your best pre-wedding ask trusted friends and family for support, or to take the time to write down everything, so you can make sure that you are as prepared as possible. 

It can also help you meet your goals if you break down big tasks into smaller ones. This will allow you to get more accomplished and could motivate you to keep going.

5. Feeling stressed

Something else that may indicate pre-wedding depression is when you are feeling stressed as you go through the process of planning your wedding. 

This type of pre-wedding anxiety could cause you to feel like you want to give up or like you are the only one doing any of the work before the wedding.

Grady Shumway further states:

Feeling overwhelmed during wedding planning is common, and it’s crucial to acknowledge your stress rather than ignore it. Taking regular breaks and prioritizing relaxation can help you manage anxiety and maintain your well-being, allowing you to enjoy the journey toward your big day.

This may or may not be true, but it is important to take a few minutes to yourself to relax whenever this is possible. Having too much stress can be detrimental to your health.  

Related Reading: 5 Easy to Follow Tips to Beat Pre-Wedding Stress

How do you overcome pre-wedding jitters?     

Once you are experiencing marriage anxiety symptoms or are feeling pre-wedding depression, there are ways to change this. You don’t have to keep feeling this way. 

Here are a few ways that you may be able to get over these jitters, so you can focus on being excited about your upcoming wedding.

Related Reading: What Causes Pre-Wedding Jitters and How to Tame Them

1. Talk to someone

If you feel like you have wedding anxiety, it is okay to talk to a friend or someone you are close to about what’s going on. 

If they are married, they may be able to tell you what they experienced and give you advice on what you should do about your pre wedding blues. Your feelings are likely nothing to worry about and should get better after the wedding takes place, in most cases.

2. Spend time with your fiancé

Consider spending time with your partner leading up to the wedding. You can have weekly special dinners where you talk about everything but the wedding, so you can keep the time as carefree and relaxing as possible. 

This can not only help you limit your stress before a wedding, but it may also help you keep things in perspective. It could aid you in remembering how much you love your fiancé and that you are excited about getting married and starting your life together.

3. Have fun

You can also take some time to have fun when you are feeling depressed before a wedding. You may want to have a night out with your friends or spend some time pampering yourself. 

There’s no wrong answer, so do something that you enjoy. This can take your mind off all the things you have to get done and alleviate some of your stress. 

Also Try: The Fun Compatibility Quiz- Can You Two Have Fun Together?

4. Take care of your health

It could be difficult to focus on your own health when you are depressed before a wedding. However, it is important to ensure that you are eating enough calories, getting the proper amount of sleep, and exercising when you can. 

These things can go a long way to helping you feel better when experiencing pre-wedding depression. Even though a lot needs to be done, you must still cater to your health and wellness.

A 2018 study shows that marriage and depression can go hand in hand, and get worse over the years for your immune system, especially if you and your spouse are exhibiting the same behaviors that are bad for your health. 

This is why it is important to keep up with your wellness routine, even if you are feeling depressed.

5. Seek therapy

When you have symptoms related to pre-wedding depression that don’t let up and are causing you to be unable to get through your day, it may be time to seek therapy for more support. 

A professional should be able to provide you with more help when you need it, and you can discuss how you are feeling with them. A therapist is a neutral resource you can utilize when you don’t feel like you have anyone else to talk about your issues with. 

Furthermore, they should also be able to provide advice to help lessen your symptoms.

Related Reading: When Should You Seek Marriage Therapy and Couple Counseling

Is it normal to have anxiety before getting married?

Research shows that individuals can be nervous, no matter what type of relationship they are in, and when you think about marriage, this is a big step.

You don’t have to be hard on yourself because you have wedding jitters or pre-wedding depression since this may be more common than you think.

You don’t have to think that your marriage isn’t meant to be if you experience pre-wedding depression either. It could be caused by worry and stress because you are unsure of what to expect and since you are starting a new journey with your husband. 

It is okay to feel anxious, depressed, and excited, or any other emotion that you experience.

The bottom line

Many people experience pre-wedding depression, especially since this is a time in their lives that is unlike anything they have experienced before. Not only are you entering a new family, but there are also details to work out, things to do, people to meet, and much more. 

It can become overwhelming, cause you to lose sleep, and leave you feeling discombobulated. However, there are ways to lessen this pre-wedding depression so you can stay in the moment and enjoy this time in your life.

Be sure to confide in someone or seek mental health support when you need it. After all, your wedding day should be a happy day for you!