Coping with roommate/house guest anxiety

[puddingduck]

Hey everyone,

I haven't posted on here in a long while but I'm hoping I can get your advice on a specific anxiety issue.

I share a 2 bedroom apartment with a roommate, and she is having her cousin come to visit for 10 days starting tomorrow. Having my home space impinged upon by guests has been a source of anxiety to me since I was a kid. Just thinking about there being another person around who is making noise and needing to use space that I need makes me tense. Right now I'm especially sensitive to it because I'm not very physically well and have to spend a lot of time reclining on the living room sofa to ease my pain, and usually when there is a guest over I like to stay in my room.

How do you cope with anxiety over having house guests? Any ideas for not feeling on edge and self-conscious the whole time?

[vicky23]

Hi,
hmm this is a difficult one and I don't have an answer but I can relate to feeling the same. In new situations I remind myself how I've coped in the past so for example was it awkward when you first moved in with your roommate?
I think that as a guest in people's house you tend to keep to yourself as well and keep out the way as best you can so the guest is probably feeling tense about it too. Does your roommate know how you feel?
I hope that things are going well, keep reminding yourself that as time goes on you will start to relax around new people and it's only 10 days it will pass.
Best wishes