Relationships

Arguments tend to gain momentum. What usually starts out as a reasonable, casual discussion, can quickly lead to nit-picking and screaming. In the moment, an argument can make you feel as if you are totally out of control. The key thing to do during these times is to attempt to take control over your actions.

Emotions can get the best of everyone at times. We tend to lose control of our emotions during an argument, after a personal failure, or when we are concerned about a loved ones. If we leave our emotions unchecked, it can lead to regretful actions or words used in the heat of the moment. And it is not always our anger or sadness that has the ability to lead us to bad decisions, it can be happiness or excitement in certain contexts, if not regulated. Have you ever made a plan with someone based off being in an exceptionally good mood, only to realize the next day you have little interest in fulfilling your new obligation? This is where emotional regulation comes in.

It has been shown that the attachment style developed in childhood effects our relationships as adults. While people tend to stay within the same attachment style through adulthood, people do change and adopt behaviors or traits from multiple styles. The different types of attachments should be seen as a continuum.

Bowlby found that attachments with the primary caregiver usually develop during the first 18 months of the child’s life. This includes instinctual habits, such as crying and clinging. Once children reach the toddler stage, they will form an internal working model, which means they already have frameworks and beliefs about their own self-worth and how much they can depend on others to meet their needs.

Ask these questions before committing to a serious relationship.

Unwanted thoughts are those intrusive thoughts that cause high levels of distress. They seemingly come from nowhere, stick with us, and can cause a significant amount of anxiety. Unwanted intrusive thoughts generally consist of repetitive thoughts about relationships, decisions, sexual identity, safety, religion, death, or worries about questions that have no certain answer. When these thoughts are graphic or contain “inappropriate” themes, people can feel embarrassed or ashamed by them, which can cause people to not talk about what is happening.

It is helpful to examine the situations in your life at home, school, work, and social environments, as well as your own attitudes and thoughts about yourself to figure out the potential sources of low self-esteem.

Infidelity is also known as: cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, or having an affair. It is a violation of a couple’s emotional and/or sexual exclusivity. When someone brings infidelity into a relationship, it is devastating. It’s no wonder why the immediate response after finding out that someone cheated is to feel disbelief, anger, sadness, and grief. It can be possible to move on and rebuild after infidelity, but it takes a lot of effort and forgiveness. There seems to be three common phases of recovery after an affair: the crisis phase, the understanding phase, and the vision phase.

Life is very much like a roller coaster – full of ups and downs. At some point or another you may find yourself going through one of those low points. Whether it’s the lose of a job, an addiction, or perhaps something entirely out of your control – life happens and sometimes you can’t always avoid it. So what can you do to bounce yourself back to a better place? Here are a few suggestions.

According to the CDC (link), 1 in 5 women experience postpartum depression. Unfortunately, many women do not realize they have it and/or do not report it, so the actual number is probably greater. If you think you may be experiencing postpartum depression, try some of these tips.