How to Deal with Family Issues
Very few families in this world are perfect and it’s an unfortunate truth but chances are you’ll have to deal with some sort of family issues at some time or another. The damage can range from being a disagreement between one relative and another to the other end of the spectrum people are being ostracized by family members or potentially the family as a whole. In this article we will explore how to deal with family issues. We’ll explore toxic family dynamics and how to deal with toxic family members. We’ll also look at the virtue of resolve.
Toxic Family Dynamics
In order to learn how to deal with family issues, we have to explore how to deal with toxic relatives. But what exactly is a toxic family? Well, it can be tough being part of a family. You’re essentially connected to a bunch of people through no choice of your own and in life we’re expected to just accept that. Unfortunately this means that we have to love, care for and deal with any negativity that comes our way. A toxic family is one that takes advantage of this. For example, if you work yourself to exhaustion to pay for your brother’s living expenses purely because he makes you feel guilty otherwise, that would be toxic.
Similarly, if your parents force you (even in adulthood) to live out their dreams because they’ve missed their opportunity, then that would also be toxic. A toxic relationship is essentially where we put up with incredible amounts of negative emotion and energy purely due to the relationship. If that person were a stranger on the street you’d avoid their horrible attitudes and negative behaviors. So what are you supposed to do in these situations? Unlike a romantic relationship, you can’t just leave…or can you?
Virtue of Resolve
Before jumping to the drastic options, you should make every effort possible to resolve your relationship. Let your family know that you’re not happy with the current situation and that major changes are going to take place, one way or the other. Let them know that you’d prefer to sort things out so that relationships aren’t damaged. This changes if you are being ostracized by family members as they’ve already displayed their lack of respect for you: Not only as a family member but as a human being. You’ll have to make a judgement call for yourself but don’t give them too many chances otherwise they may take advantage of your forgiving nature. Just remember that toxic relationships aren’t beneficial to either side!
How to deal with Family Issues – Coping Methods
In many situations, you can’t move away or resolve the issues through communication and as such, you may be in need of some coping strategies. Learning how to deal with family issues can be essential to keeping hold of your sanity. There are various outlets you can try such as joining a sports team as an outlet for your frustration. This is particularly true for martial arts which involve focusing emotions. Starting a new hobby such as a sport also allows you the ability to leave for training and even competitions. Of course going for a long walk, particularly in nature is equally as satisfying and allow you the chance to relax.
Alternatively, you can focus your time into creative outlets. Many people find writing, painting, dancing, making music or drawing to be great ways to vent any frustrations. Many great creatives came from toxic families. On a similar note, you can keep a journal to allow yourself an emotional outlet. You don’t have to write about your family but you can share your thoughts as to how the world is making you feel. Hopefully this should help you know how to deal with family issues.
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