ASK A THERAPIST

My father just had a heart attack and I am now stepping up as the breadwinner of the family. My emotions are all over the place and I cannot stop thinking about my responsibilities. How do I cope so that I invest time and energy in the right things?

Your current situation is very difficult as you are dealing with your father’s health problem as well as assuming the newly assigned role of being the breadwinner simultaneously. Give yourself time to process this change by allowing your emotions to surface. Be kind to yourself at this time. It’s okay to fall short of expectations that you may have from yourself. Keep doing things that made you happy prior to this crisis. You will eventually find the right balance between your responsibilities and your inner happiness.

My husband and I keep snapping at each other and fight about everything in quarantine. Does this mean anything for our relationship?

Being in quarantine is very stressful for most people. It can bring out past relationship conflicts to the surface as families are confined in homes.

For couples, it can trigger various unresolved issues as they spend all their time together without any breaks. Try communicating with your husband whatever you both are fighting about. You both may end up spending a very long time at home so it’s best to keep the home environment cordial. Keep yourself busy in healthy activities at home like exercise, book reading, gardening or online learning. These activities will channelise your mental energy positively. •

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