 |
Friend or Foe? |
|
| What’s better than a girlfriend? Who else understands you, supports you and defends you, no matter what? Yet a recent study on friendship warns there might be a dark side to your closest relationship. Although psychologists agree discussing your problems is a good thing, they are finding out that too much talk might be too much of a good thing. |
|
|
Without realizing it, rehashing and dwelling on negative feelings can turn a snowball of problem into an avalanche of stress. Instead of feeling relieved and lighter, long drawn out pity parties tend to make us more anxious… and even depressed. So what should you do when you have a problem that you’ve talked over with your best friend for a while now that seems to have no solution? It might be time to add an adult into the conversation. The experience they bring to the discussion might rein in the commiserating and end the obsessing. Once you realize that talking about problems for too long is emotionally unhealthy, you can move away from the negative yammering and engage in other, more positive, activities. No one can promise you will never feel sad or anxious or overwhelmed. Just remember that when you do, try not to become consumed by complaining. After discussing it once or twice with your friend, stop. If your mood doesn’t lift, it’s time to let her off the hook and look for advice and support elsewhere. |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
