What are some common areas that cause anxiety during sexual intimacy? One could be that you are overthinking each of the individual steps. For example, you may be overthinking if you have a good body image with your partner, or if they feel comfortable, or even if you are hurting them in any way. These are just some of the most common cognitive functioning that can occur during sex and give rise to a level of anxiety. When you become sexually aroused, your body will react naturally but this can be counteracted by high-level anxiety. The anxiety will send off an alarm bell that something isn't right and your body will begin the "fight or flight" response which is counterproductive to the relaxing hormones of sexual activity.

Another common area that causes anxiety is sensory overload. When you are experiencing new sensations, your brain is also working to organize the information. Your overall senses could be constructing a new reality within your mind that you are going now to be “living” in. This could make you feel anxious even if the experience is happy and enjoyable to you. If this is the case, try vocalizing to your partner when you need a minute, take some deep breaths and have positive affirmations either written down or in your mind that you can repeat to yourself.