Her new anxiety probably has to do with the fact that girls at 16 are more hormonally driven, on average, than girls at 14 or 15, and she’s being subject to comments, opinions and conjectures from other girls about sex, relationships and you. This is just average high school girl banter, but the intensity gets dialed up as hormones rage. She’s hearing more now than ever, and it’s making her anxious.
That said, all you can do is tell her how you feel about her, your relationship, and your own annoyance at her anxiety. You can tell her that you understand her anxiety based on the gossip and rumor she’s subject to, but that you really find it grating because the TRUTH is that you’re very content in the relationship and you hope that she’ll be more IN the relationship than OUT OF IT by listening to other people who know nothing about your feelings or hers.
Getting through the rumor mill in high school can be trying as you’re learning first hand. It’s far-reaching and it can be damaging, but it’s unavoidable, so keep the channel of communication with your girlfriend open and talk to her about all of this so she can decide whether or not she’s going to change her own feelings and behavior.
