It can seem like a favorite pastime for the over-30 set: we commiserate with friends — almost always same-gender, often accompanied by alcohol — about our spouses’ foibles. We’ve all done it, and we’ve all nodded along while someone else aired their grievances. In the sober light of day, we might wave this grousing off as harmless. It’s not, […]
Tag: conflict resolution
When you’re not yourself
During an emotional meltdown, part of us really does disappear. My two-year-old gave me a powerful reminder of this while we were staying with friends for the weekend. R — exhausted from days of fun and social interaction — totally lost it getting ready for nap. We were in full meltdown mode. I just sat in the middle of […]
Blame shifting: when someone you love puts it all on you
If you love someone with ADHD, you may know too well how blame shifting hurts a relationship. There are many ways to shift the blame: “If you didn’t make me so angry all the time, I wouldn’t explode at you. Would you rather I bottled it all up?” “I wouldn’t have gotten a speeding ticket […]