When it comes to relationships, there are certain topics and issues that can make both parties feel uncomfortable. From controversial and distressing topics to anything that makes people feel obligated, it's important to know how to handle these conversations in a respectful and productive way. Small talk topics are a great way to start conversations between people who don't know each other well. However, for those living with social anxiety disorder (SAD), even trivial conversations can cause anxiety.
It can also be difficult for those who tend to be more introverted. In any relationship, there is a risk of jealousy. It's part of human nature to feel possessive to a certain extent, and it's just as natural to feel threatened sometimes. This is much more than just jealousy from other people.
In a marriage, just about anything that takes up time and attention can cause jealousy, from children to work, from hobbies to spending time with friends and family. Jealousy is a powerful emotion and can lead to all kinds of arguments, accusations, and trust issues. If you're feeling jealous, talk and do your best to stay calm while you're talking to your partner. Even sitting down to talk about previous experiences with jealousy, reaffirming their commitment to each other, and getting an idea of how their partner might react in certain situations, all of this will help them avoid problems in the future.
Not everyone wants to have children, and even if you already have children, not everyone agrees on how to raise them. There will always be room for different opinions about what they should eat, what they should wear, when they should go to bed, how to discipline them, etc. If you have children (or are thinking about having them), sit down with your spouse and put everything on the table. Talk about your own individual experiences as children, with your parents and the type of parents you hope to be.
Talk about your principles and ideas. The closer you get to agreeing on parenting styles and responsibilities, the less likely you are to run into disagreements later on. There are never enough hours in the day to take care of homework and children, prepare meals, get to and from work, finish projects, and simply find time to spend with your spouse. Both can agree to ally themselves against their common enemy - time - and work together to be efficient and aware of time, so they don't let the hours go to waste (which will only make them more stressed and can spend even less time together).People with selective mutism can talk. They have completely normal conversations with people they feel comfortable with or in certain places.
However, other situations cause them such extreme anxiety that they may not dare to speak up at all. One way to handle uncomfortable questions is to turn the question around and ask the other person why they want to know. Couples can disagree about how money is spent, have arguments about who generates more income, and even argue about very small purchases - simply because money is already an ongoing problem in the relationship. When you're divided on serious issues, disagreement will come up again and again until you make the effort to address it head-on. When it comes down to it, communication is key in any relationship - especially when it comes to uncomfortable topics or issues. It's important for both parties involved in the relationship to be open and honest with each other so that any issues can be addressed before they become too big of a problem.
