In family disagreements, some people lose their temper and become intentionally hurtful, aggressive or even violent. But there are ways to defuse the conflict and help bring about a peaceful result, even if the final decision is a compromise or agreeing to disagree.
Families sometimes disagree with each other and the occasional tension or argument is part of family life. However, ongoing arguments and tension can be stressful and overwhelming.
Families can cause a lot of stress and may not be the right place to find someone to talk to about your problem. Even if they are understanding, you may still not want to talk to them about what is troubling you. You can always talk to a teacher, mental health professional or a friend.
To figure out who you can talk to in your family about an issue, ask: Will they give me a hard time? Will they make me more upset? Can they offer me the help I need? Will our talk be kept secret? If I tell them something personal, will they think differently of me?
It is natural to feel like you don’t want to let your family down with your personal problems but remember in most families, they only care about you. Sometimes a family member that is not in your immediate family like an uncle, cousin and grandparent might be the right person to talk to.
There might be several members of your family that you can talk to. Some families have “family meetings” to go over problems or big decisions. Talking to an older family member can be good because they may have had a similar problem or concern in the past.
Members of a family generally look out for each other and have each other’s best interests in mind. You may sometimes feel like your family might ask you questions about your problem that you don’t want to answer, but remember that they are doing it because they care.
Sometimes when you go through a tough time, you may need someone to talk to. Talking to someone who is willing to listen really makes a difference and sometimes the best people to talk to may be your own family.
by self-help expert Dr Pam Spurr.
Do you feel quite ‘blue’ during the autumn and winter? Or experience other things like:
…plus a number of other possible symptoms.
Your opinion matters a lot to your siblings. We often work on our relationships with friends, schoolmates and co-workers; our family relationships need work too. Small acts of support can go a long way.