Everyone can be difficult to live with at times. Some family members have mental health issues, physical disabilities, or just plain bad intentions. This could disturb the peace or drive everyone else who’s forced to endure this person crazy. No matter what, don’t give up, because everyone’s life is important. Instead, make every effort to regain your own sanity.
Avoid Trying to Fix Them
Some people are so far gone they likely won’t listen to reason. Maybe they’ve given up on living a functional life on account of mental illness or health challenges. These problems and others can make a person stop being motivated to live life in a positive manner. A negative person often has bad intentions. In this instance, trying to fix them will only worsen the issue. The troubled family member will make every effort to abuse or exploit anyone who stands in their path of destruction. Since they’ve chosen the wrong path in life, they need to make the decision on their own to change for the better. The best thing for a helpful individual to do is detach from this individual, while still loving them. This will allow the troubled individual to understand that they have valuable lessons to learn. Consider consulting with a therapist as you make detachments.
Healthy Boundaries for Protection
A troubled family member has a tendency to cross boundaries in many ways. This can become invasive, uncomfortable, and possibly even dangerous. The person may manipulate you and become physically and verbally abusive. Mental, emotional, or physical abuse should never be tolerated. For protection, establish healthy boundaries by firmly saying no when needed. Besides this, clearly set some firm rules on what’s acceptable and unacceptable behavior. If setting boundaries doesn’t work, for safety reasons and wellbeing, stay away from the negative family member as much as possible.
Effective Communication
Suffering in silence isn’t the best way to deal with the situation. Effective communication can open up a way to solve the problem as a group. One way to speak about the issue is to gather the whole family together. Avoid intense emotional outbursts by being understanding of everyone’s feelings. Bring the topic up in a way that’s empathetic to the troubled family member. Be honest and clear on what the problem is so everyone understands what’s going on. Alternatively, speak to the person one-on-one. Letting them get away with dysfunctional and/or illegal activities can be dangerous. Those who live in an unhappy home will never successfully thrive in society in a healthy way.
Seek Aid from Therapy or Support Groups
A negative family member can have the worst effect on one’s own health and happiness. Seeing a trusted therapist or joining a support group can help a person want to live again. A therapist can help a person piece things together, and give them tips on how to solve the problem so they can feel more like themselves. Support groups are also an excellent resource. Each person in the group will likely have similar issues. This makes it easier for everyone to share their story in a positive, open environment.
Strive to implement the above tips, keeping in mind that your family member may spin completely out of control, perhaps even becoming incarcerated. If this happens, using bail bonds, such as HP Bail Bonds, may be a good decision. Talk to your therapist about what options are best for your own wellbeing.
