Politics and Relationships: When You Disagree

"When they are sitting in my office, these conversations can quickly devolve into anger, fueled by a sense of betrayal, the abandonment of former values, or confusion about why the other is now so different or adamant. Or, there is a sense of loss-not only about how their priorities and ways of looking at the world have changed, but hints that you're maybe not the same person I used to know and care about; those past connections we used to have are no longer."

"But for other couples, their concerns are less about content-what the other believes or espouses-than about the effects these differences have on everyday life. The emotional climate has changed, and, with the perfect combination of late night stress, tiredness, or alcohol, terrible arguments erupt, hurtful things are said, and emotional damage is done. As the outsider hearing this, I wonder and ask: Why can't you just agree to disagree?"

"They can't because often it's not just about politics but other underlying problems fueling the differences and arguments. Here are some of the common sources: One or both have difficulty managing anger Tom and Beth have always been able to go zero to sixty quickly, but their strong political feelings have only made these tendencies worse. Politics may be the hot topic of the week, but their real relationship and individua"

Political differences increasingly divide couples, sometimes growing more extreme over time. Intense political debates in relationships often lead to anger, feelings of betrayal, and a sense that a partner has changed. For some couples the issue is less about beliefs and more about the emotional climate, with late-night stress, tiredness, or alcohol triggering explosive arguments and lasting emotional damage. Underlying problems such as difficulty managing anger, feeling dismissed, and a sense of loss or loss of connection commonly fuel disputes. Successful repair requires addressing these deeper issues first and developing new ways to reconnect and rebuild trust.

Read at Psychology Today