Social Gatherings, Intense Personalities and Stress
Human beings are not always the easiest to deal with. In fact, people can be absolutely intolerable. With all the different beliefs and personalities swimming around us, it makes absolute sense why some people are made for one another while others should stray far from each other.
Differences in personality traits can cause trouble amongst social groups – including family gatherings. It’s natural not to get along with everyone, but some people push that truth aside. When people start to force their intense personality and beliefs on everyone else, anxiety may rise.
At times, anxiety brings forward other mental health issues.
Confidence is always a major playing card when struggling with self-harm or any mental illness. When someone doesn’t have a confident persona, they may try too hard for others to like them and when it doesn’t work, they can fall apart. When someone has a personality that doesn't quite click with yours, it can cause anger, frustration or even insecurity to rise. Questions start to roll in your mind: What did I do wrong? Why don’t they like me? What can I do to change their mind?
However, what happened to giving yourself some credit?
Don’t Let Those Around You Trigger Self-Harm Urges
I have been attending family gatherings recently due to the death of a loved one and I have gotten to clearly see the wide array of personalities that make up a family unit. It’s great to see how different everyone is and how everyone has something unique to bring to the table. However, with everyone’s differences comes conflict and sometimes that can bring on stress.
When people around you act in ways you don’t agree with or don’t understand, you may grow irritated and turn to unsafe behaviors as ways to cope. You may think that by cutting or burning or picking you are pushing aside the confusing actions of others, but you aren’t. You are only pushing those realities aside until the moment is right for them to appear again.
Families are filled with very intense personalities and it is normal for everyone not to click. When at family gatherings, you may find yourself smack in the middle of many different kinds of people. If you are someone who finds this to be a stressful situation, you may feel the need to escape.
A quick escape is not a bad thing. In fact, it is healthy to take a few minutes to regroup and think clearly. However, there are also negative escapes and those are the ones that need replacements. Instead of turning to the knife or razor, take a quick walk outside or sit in your car for a few uplifting songs. Go to a family member you have a bond with and stick by their side until your mind relaxes.
It is absolutely natural to have some social anxiety when with a group of people, even if that group is filled with loved ones. Take the time needed to clear your head before walking into a situation you may not find comfortable. Once you feel more at ease with yourself, your decisions will become safer ones.
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APA Reference
Aline, J.
(2014, August 1). Social Gatherings, Intense Personalities and Stress, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 5 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/speakingoutaboutselfinjury/2014/08/social-gatherings-intense-personalities-and-stress