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Dealing with Family Who Think They Understand My Mental Health

doglover2899

597d

Both my sister and her new husband have anxiety and depression as well. So they think they understand what I'm going through and how I need to deal with it... and they do try to understand (especially my sister), but I have a really hard time explaining to them exactly what I need and how I need to cope some days... so when I'm up in my room, isolated some days, they think I'm trying to ignore them or that I should be downstairs with the family, even though I'm too mentally exhausted for that. Does anyone else have this communication issue? How does your family deal with it?

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Anxiety (Including GAD)

Acute Anxiety

Depression

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    • doglover2899

      597d

      @Skipeople It definitely made sense. Most of the time, I'm downstairs with everyone for lunch and all dinners. And a lot of the time, I'm downstairs after dinner until they go to bed. The problem is they are both very loud so when I'm trying to read my textbooks for college, I have to either be in my room or wear noise-cancelling headphones. Which, if I wear them, I might as well be in my room. So I feel they think I use it as an excuse, which I don't. I just have to read a lot because I'm an English major.

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    • Skipeople

      597d

      I've definitely had the same issue. I think there is a hard balance between letting yourself rest and not truly isolating yourself. A lot of it comes down to open communication and setting hard boundaries with family. It may also mean setting a period of time for rest followed by a period of time with family (even if that just means sitting quietly in the same room as them) or vice versa. I know that I isolate a lot when I'm depressed and it makes it worse. I've found that I need limited rest breaks from people AND that I need to force myself to be around people for limited time too. Not sure if any of that makes sense!!

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      • doglover2899

        597d

        @Skipeople It definitely made sense. Most of the time, I'm downstairs with everyone for lunch and all dinners. And a lot of the time, I'm downstairs after dinner until they go to bed. The problem is they are both very loud so when I'm trying to read my textbooks for college, I have to either be in my room or wear noise-cancelling headphones. Which, if I wear them, I might as well be in my room. So I feel they think I use it as an excuse, which I don't. I just have to read a lot because I'm an English major.

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        • Skipeople

          597d

          @doglover2899 Reading for college is so real. Yeah, that falls more on them, honestly. I say keep being open in communication and keep holding onto those boundaries. Everyone has different social and emotional needs and it isn't your job to teach your family that. They need to respect your boundaries or there needs to be some consequence like," if you keep pressuring me to spend extra time with you, I will have to stay at school more to do my work because I can't concentrate at home." Just a random example haha

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☝ This content is generated by our users and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision

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