No relationship is free from difficulties; What will make the difference is the ability to face these conflicts and overcome them. When a lack of empathy in a couple becomes a problem, it is difficult to bring the problems to a successful conclusion.
In this article we will see How a lack of empathy significantly affects couples and we will review some effective ways to prevent and overcome this situation when it has already become a difficulty for the relationship.
Lack of empathy in a couple: how does it affect us?
The lack of empathy in a couple is a situation that intensely affects their coexistence, taking into account that empathy refers to the ability of people to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and feel their suffering in a real way. That is, if you are empathetic you can feel other people’s pain as your own, and feel sorry for them.
In love relationships, this factor is essential for the couple to be able to overcome the adversities inherent to emotional coexistence.
When there is a significant lack of empathy within the love bond then the relationship becomes dysfunctional, resulting negative for both members.
On the one hand, the person who does not receive empathy is seen in a situation of vulnerability, since they are alone regardless of whether the other person is with them in terms of relationship (technically), there is no real support on an emotional level. nor emotional.
On the other hand, the member of the couple who does not provide empathy places themselves in a situation of inflicting emotional pain, even if they do nothing to intentionally offend or mistreat the other; it is precisely this lack of emotionality that results in damage.
In couple relationships, the members must be emotionally linked so that the sadness of the other becomes the sadness of both, and based on that emotional connection the best solutions can be reached together
But when this empathic bond does not exist on the part of one, or even both parties, then the relationship wears out. When there is no empathy, some relationships are able to last some time, but they usually end on bad terms.
How to overcome this situation in the couple?
Now we are going to see a list of tips to overcome the lack of empathy in your partner, or failing that, rethink things better with respect to your relationship.
1. Value your partner’s opinions
The bond of empathy it begins to be cultivated from mutual respect , a first step may be to take more into account the opinions of our partner. Not only listen to them to answer them, but actively listen to what they have to tell us.
2. Avoid value judgments
A fairly common mistake in relationships is usually value judgments made at the pure whim of one of the members , without having any type of support to do so. These types of unjustified opinions only drive the other further away and generate distrust in the relationship; should be avoided.
3. Cultivate patience
A virtue that must prevail in relationships, especially in difficult moments, is patience. This ability to withstand the impulses to act or say things at a certain moment leads us towards empathetic behavior towards the other given that facilitates communication ; We must encourage patience.
4. Promotes understanding
We must understand that we will not always be right , and that sometimes it is good to give in when we have made a mistake. It is important to achieve understanding in relationships, to be able to see things as they are really happening, and not as we would like them to be.
5. Practice kindness
A couple relationship must be based on mutual respect and kindness in the members of the emotional bond. Regardless of the jokes that may exist in the context of the relationship, affectionate treatment should always prevail in the couple’s dynamic. This point is essential to achieve empathy.
6. Take care of the way you express yourself
Participating in things in a kind and calm way is not the same as doing it through shouting and insults. This aspect is also part of kindness in a couple, but based on assertive speech. It is not enough to just say things, but you also have to know how to say them
7. Make peace a goal
Regardless of the conflict that arises, try to visualize a possible outcome where both end in healthy peace, both at the level of the relationship and at the individual level. If you make peace a goal within your relationship, you will eventually achieve resolve problems appropriately and constructively
8. Bet on honesty
Sometimes the lack of empathy can be caused by the absence of affection towards the other person; sometimes there are cases where couples maintain a relationship based solely on the habit of being together.
This is not the most advisable thing for any of the members of the couple, the ideal is to be honest with oneself and be aware of what we feel for the other person Sometimes it is better to take a step aside for the emotional well-being of both of you.