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Home > Relationship Difficulties
Relationship Difficulties

Relationship Difficulties

  • What does psychological treatment have to do with relationship difficulties?
  • What types of psychological issues can affect relationships?
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Relationship Difficulties

What does psychological treatment have to do with relationship difficulties?

It is not uncommon in life to have difficulties dealing with family and loved ones. However, a pervasive pattern of difficulties in relationships can arise when a person has intense emotions or fears when in conflict, low self-esteem, or underlying psychological problems. These issues may prevent a person from being able to initiate and expand intimate relationships. Personality disorders, depression and anxiety can sabotage a person’s ability to have a fulfilling relationship with a significant other or family members and friends.


What types of psychological issues can affect relationships?

Persons with personality issues such as Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder, frequently have problems with relationships. Mood instability and unpredictability of behavior make it difficult for partners of people with personality disorders to find consistency and stability in the relationship. Conflict arises around the maladaptive behaviors of the person with a personality disorder. Similarly, when one partner suffers from depression it profoundly affects the other partner. The depressed person does not have the energy to effectively participate in the relationship. Sexual dysfunction, isolation, and problems with work and financial difficulties can further sabotage the relationship. Post-partum depression is also a significant cause of marital discord that must be properly identified and addressed. Bipolar personality affects relationships through depression, with the added stressor of manic episodes. During manic episodes, a person may act impulsively or destructively, with risk-taking behaviors that adversely affect their partner or family. Anxiety problems can also produce relationship difficulties, by undermining a person’s ability to have a significant intimate relationship. Isolating behaviors, obsessive compulsive behaviors, and avoidant behaviors can make intimacy and communication difficult.


Frequently Asked Questions about Relationship Difficulties

How are Relationship Difficulties addressed?

When a person is having difficulties with interpersonal relationships, such as with family members or a spouse, a mental health evaluation is important to discern if an underlying psychological disorder is responsible. As discussed, anxiety disorders, personality issues, and mood disorders can all sabotage the well-being of a relationship. Couples can also be assessed both individually and together, to discern what role each is playing within a problematic marriage or relationship. Codependency or an inability to respond to one partner's psychological disorder makes discord likely. Substance abuse, self-medication or alcoholism are serious and dangerous problems that adversely affect relationships. These problems must be addressed first, before individual and couples treatment can be initiated.

When Should a Client enter a treatment center?

When a person with psychological issues is having problems that are negatively impacting their daily school or work life and damaging personal and family relationships, an intensive treatment program is an appropriate option. A treatment facility, like PCH Treatment Center, starts by making a proper diagnosis. Family therapy sessions can be used to work with couples or families, to address ingrained negative patterns that have developed over years.

How does PCH Treatment Center address relationship difficulties?

Dr. Jeff Ball, the Executive and Clinical Director at PCH Treatment Center, has over 25 years of experience in working with persons, families, and couples with psychological problems. Dr. Ball has assembled a highly qualified staff with extensive experience in individual and couples counseling. When a Client enters a PCH Treatment Center program for relationship difficulties, a thorough initial assessment is performed to establish a psychological diagnosis, if present. Couples therapy or family therapy is also a cornerstone in addressing relationship difficulties. PCH Treatment Center has specific programs designed to incorporate family members or loved ones into the treatment environment. Family group therapies allow family members to experience the issues arising in other families or relationships and learn from a different vantage point. Other treatment modalities available include process group, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), EMDR, anger management, sleep hygiene, psycho-education, and neurofeedback. Holistic therapies including yoga, meditation, acupuncture and massage therapy are important for recovery and healing. At PCH Treatment Center, we have helped many families and couples restore their relationships, through proper psychological counseling and psycho-education.

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+ Article on Relationship Difficulties
- Article on Relationship Difficulties

Everyone experiences difficulties in relationships at times in their life, however when an individual experiences a continued pattern of difficulties with their relationships that is caused from low self-esteem, intense emotions, fears or an untreated psychological problem, these issues can prevent intimate and close relationships from developing. Depression, anxiety and personality disorders can contribute to the inability to have a loving and close relationship with partners, friends and family.

When a person suffers with depression, relationship problems often occur. This commonly happens due to the symptoms of depression such as lack of energy and sexual drive along with isolation. Anxiety disorders can cause an individual to avoid intimate relationships or have difficulty with communication. Personality disorders frequently cause difficulties in relationships as individuals with these types of disorders often suffer with mood changes, causing instability and inconsistence in their relationships. Bi-polar disorder can cause a person to have manic episodes where they act destructively and impulsively, which can cause many difficulties with relationships.

Most psychological issues that cause severe relationship problems are treatable. These include depression, anxiety disorders, personality and mood disorders. Other individuals that are dealing with more difficult to treat psychological disorders such as extreme narcissistic behavior or schizoid personality disorder can find improvement in relationships, although treatment can be long and difficult.

Seeking help for relationship difficulties starts with a thorough evaluation by a professional mental health physician or therapist at a mental health center or a relationship difficulties treatment clinic. The assessment normally will include the client and the partner or family members and issues such as symptoms, family history and the client's childhood will be discussed.

When attending a relationship difficulties treatment center for problems that are causing damage to a relationship, an intensive treatment plan may be advised. At a relationship difficulties treatment clinic, therapy is more aggressive than traditional treatments as therapy sessions are oftentimes done many times a week. This extensive therapy allows the client and therapist to get to the core of the issue to resolve and heal the root problem. A relationship treatment center offers clients inpatient residency, which is often more effective, especially for individuals who need to feel like they are in a safe environment or need extra attention.

At a relationship difficulties treatment center, psychological problems are treated in a different manner to help couples and families heal and improve relationships. Clients are taught how to understand and become aware of destructive patterns when they first arise. This helps to rebuild and repair troubled relationships and also helps individuals learn how to initiate an intimate relationship. Treatments at a relationship difficulties treatment facility offer clients many different treatment programs. These include day or evening programs or intensive inpatient residency programs.

Therapies that are offered at a relationship difficulties treatment clinic include dialectical behavioral therapy, individual psychotherapy, sleep management, neurofeedback, anger management and psycho-education. Other types of treatment at a relationship treatment clinic include holistic methods. These include meditation, yoga, massage therapy and acupuncture, which are very effective in healing and recovery.

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