Conflict Paper
Interpersonal conflict is defined as a disagreement between two interdependent people who perceive that they have incompatible goals (Verderber, 358). Though interpersonal conflict relates to many things, its main focus is on the interaction between people. Over the years, we have learned conflict in fact helps strengthen problem-solving skills and helps people and relationships grow – despite its negative implication. Before I get into the conflict being examined, I want to give a little overview of how I learned to deal with conflict growing up. My mom and dad have very passive-aggressive behaviors, but my dad can also act aggressively at times. When a conflict would come up the first thing we, as a family, …show more content…
I will be referencing two parties involved in this conflict, party one being myself and party two being my parents, my sister Michaela, and best friends Alyssa, Nicole, and Mary. The conflict began when my sister and friends came to my parents questioning my mental and physical health. After about a week of my parents intensely watching my every move, and continuously bringing me food, they sat me down and confronted me on the issue at hand. They began with saying that some of my friends are concerned with my health and eating habits and asked how I was doing. At this point, I am in complete shock and infuriated that my so-called ‘best friends’ would disregard my feelings about the situation and tell my parents. I denied the whole thing and chalked it up to me just forgetting to eat a couple meals because of the stress of finals. My mom started crying and my dad was fuming because they both knew I was lying. Given my family conflict background, I stormed off and ‘ended’ the discussion – so I thought. The next thing I know both of them are standing in my room, just staring at me. Finally, my dad broke the silence and blatantly told me that if I don’t tell them the truth, my car, TV, and basically everything I own will be taken away. I distinctly remember telling them to F off and then withdrew to my car and drove off.
As soon as I reached the …show more content…
I was in the process of killing myself, with no intention to stop. I was in complete denial and there was no other way than going behind my back to get through to me. The only thing that could have been changed was the way my parents reacted in the beginning. Instead of lashing out at me, and making me feel like I was a horrible child, they could have been a little more understanding and gentle to my situation. I don’t think that their aggressiveness helped me in any way, but I also don’t think if they came at it with more compassion that it would have changed anything. I was in such denial, and so far into my eating disorder that I couldn’t think clearly, and would have reacted in the same