Disagreements occur in the best of relationships. But what if this time it´s about what you watch on TV or about keeping or disposing of your socks?
And what if the dispute is about questions and political issues that affect your values?
Especially in the current situation in light of the Corona pandemic, it does not take long for things to flare up. Some think the restrictions are not good enough and others think they are too strict and in any case "more like the flu"!
In fact, the stress of this long standing exceptional situation now, does not make it easy to talk about things.
So what about a partner revealing an opinion that frightens the other party? Difference of opinion has always put pressure on relationships, and this is not a new thing due to the pandemic. However, it is now more likely that we will be asked about our opinion on certain issues.
This can cause the other person to suddenly reveal opinions that dismay or anger you. "In normal times, this can be ignored for a while, but when it rages and increases during the pandemic, it has an explosive ability that can cause a breakdown in relationships," says psychiatrist Natalie Krah.
"When it comes to political issues, there are binary groups that find it easy to discuss," says marital relations consultant Annika Bockenhower. "They like to have an intellectual debate they enjoy."
The underlying mood, however, is one of appreciation and acceptance, which makes it easy to tolerate differences of opinion.
Her advice for a good argument: Do not directly take the opposing side and defend your position vigorously, but first give the other party space and be curious.
Thus she asks, "Why do you feel this way about this?" Then listen patiently and at a certain point say, "Well, I have a different opinion on this matter. Do you want to hear it?" On the other hand, it does not help that the trend is to have a winner and a loser.
