I Wonder Why

Finland
September 30, 2007 7:43am CST
I wonder why it's easier for a couple to talk about their problems within the relationship with other people rather than just talk them out with each other. A friend of mine just told me that she knew a couple, let's say their names are Anna and John. Anna trusts my friend, so she tells my friend everything about her doubts and relationship problems. John also tells my friend everything about his belief that Anna is the one he wants and about other relationship problems. My friend feels stuck in the middle. She can't possibly tell John about what Anna has told her because it's like betraying her and vice versa. What I wanna know is: Why can't Anna be honest to John instead? Why can't John and Anna just talk about their problems? I've also heard the same problem OFTEN. The wife tells somebody about problems in her marriage. And the husband also tells somebody about problems in his marriage...but the wife and husband won't ever talk things through on their own. What good would that be? The third party can't possibly take care of things for them, right? Why do people do that? I know that we all need third party's opinions or advice, but in order to solve problems in a relationship, only both parties can do it by eventually talking things through with each other, right? What do you think?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@shadowing (308)
• Malaysia
30 Sep 07
I am quite agree with you but so far as I know, couple did that sometimes it's because they don't really want to bring the issue into their relationship. This answer is what I get from my friends who are couple when I was stuck as what you have mentioned. Just like, a bf like to speed and gf doesn't like. The bf will listen to gf but yet he still doesn't want to give up his "hobby" but yet he has to listen to his gf. So finally, impossible for the bf to raise the issue up with his gf by saying that he want to speed as he know his gf is acting for his own good. So, finally ended up, bf will be telling me that he really tried very hard in the relationship and so on. And then, gf will be telling bf should listen to him and so on. I mean they love each other but sometimes something is just not that good to bring up and chat, right? Haha. Sorry, I am saying in kind of confusing way.
• Finland
30 Sep 07
No, no, I understand you completely, shadowing. You're also right in saying that maybe both of them don't really want to settle the issue. THANKS for sharing your view! ;-D
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
1 Oct 07
Haha, you are very welcome!
@vinzen (1020)
• India
30 Sep 07
Yes, this is the most common and the only main problem for me too, that people cannot communicate openly in their own marriages and this is the main reason for problems that take place in a marriage too i feel. Yes, ideally it should be that hte couple shares their own joys and sorrows with each other and feel and find one another by their sides always, but mostly this does not happen and the main reason i feel is ego. Each side has their own inflated egos and feel that sharing their problems with the other would make them feel or become lower than the other or what would the other think about them, that transparency is missing i think. For me its always been my husband and we share every smallest of things under the sun. But, yes there are times wehn we do fight , as thats normal too, and those times are the worst for us, as each one prefers keeping to our ownselves and not talking to the toher and those days are terrible for both of us, as we are so used to talking all the time, and sharing our lives with each other too, but it happens, when each one thinks and waits for the other to start communicating first instead. So i can say that we should put our egos aside and just be free to communicate with each other as there can be no one but your spouse who would understand you better, no one to guide you better too and at times, friends just make fun of the couple and we are just like a laughing stock in their eyes and they are not in our situation or dont know the depth of our problems and its something that we have to find solutions to ourselves i feel.
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@vinzen (1020)
• India
30 Sep 07
Thanks for marking this as the best response, i appreciate that, and yes i shared with you, what best was to my knowledge. Have a nice day :)
1 person likes this
• Finland
30 Sep 07
THANKS SO MUCH for sharing your view. Your explanation makes SO MUCH sense to me. Ego it is, then. Yes, fighting is normal, esp. when you've lived together for a long time he he he...You're right, though, we should put our ego aside. And I TOTALLY agree with you that only both parties know the depth of their problems. ;-D I LOVE your answer! ;-D
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• Philippines
1 Oct 07
that is easier said than done.sometimes a relationship can reach a point when talking is unbearable.what's the use of saying the things that you dont want to your partner if he/she's not willing to listen anyway?how can you tell your partner what you dont want from him/her when you also have some traits which he/she doesnt want from you?not all communication is smooth especially in marriage
1 person likes this
• Finland
1 Oct 07
Yeah, I know it's not easy. I'm not really talking about some idiosyncracies or weird/funny/annoying habits that you can't bear from each other. That's the risk you have to take for being together. But I'm talking about serious stuff...I know that sometimes after you've been together for a long time, you may be defensive or something, but still what's the point of telling other people about your serious problems over and over again without even trying to talk it out with your partner. True enough, in an ideal world the partner should want to listen, but either way, it's better for the two parties to let their guards down and just put some effort to solve the problems rather than just leaving the problems to pile up and explode in the future, right?
@nobbsy123 (851)
• Australia
30 Sep 07
Some people find it comfortable to talk to people who are not directly involved in the problem, meaning they can confide in a close friend to get advise rather than talk to their partner. I agree talking to the partner is the best thing but it wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion.
2 people like this
• Finland
30 Sep 07
Oh yes, I agree with getting a second opinion...but if you keep on sharing the problems with other people and NOT trying to solve them with your partner, then it becomes crazy 'coz you'll get stuck in that same cycle. My problem is not with getting a second or even third opinion, but that people don't really try to solve the problems with their own partners.
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@kst4ever (19)
• Canada
2 Oct 07
i think sometimes we talk to our friends instead of the one we are with as we dont want to cause problems in the relationship or hurt anyone
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• Finland
2 Oct 07
Yes, that's also true, kst4ever. THANKS for participating! ;-D
30 Sep 07
I think a lot of this down to just needing to sound off. We all need someone to be able to talk to, bring us back down and help calm us. Unfortunitly your friend feels caught up in the middle, she needs to tell them both how she feels. We all have our own troubles and as much as we like to help our friends, we can't allow their troubles to become our own.
• Finland
30 Sep 07
Ah...what you say is true enough. My friend doesn't want to tell them both how she feels. She's stuck because one of them wants to end the relationship, whereas the other feels sure that he's found his "future wife". It's just crazy...I wonder why the girl doesn't just be honest to the guy after telling my friend about it. My friend did advice her to do that, but dunno if she's done that or not. You're also right about we have our own troubles and we can't allow other people's troubles to be our own.
1 person likes this
• Malaysia
1 Oct 07
Hi. Things like this has happened to so many couples in the world. To me I personally don't believe in confiding to other person before the problem can be solved with using my own self initiative. Only after I have sought so many ways to solve, and yet the problem still couldn't be solved, I will try to get a third party to get involved. I am a person who likes to tell the truth and keep nothing inside. Whenever there is a problem, I like it to be settled then and there. I hate keeping secrets because it would only lead to bigger issues like trust, suspicion and disrespect, to name a few. In my case it's me who is having the problem because my husband always keeps things to himself. I don't understand why he's doing it. To me the act is just a nonsense thing to do.
1 person likes this
• Finland
1 Oct 07
That's GOOD for you that you dislike keeping secrets and that you can be open right away to your hubby. Yeah, some people have a hard time opening up due to many reasons. Maybe it has something to do with your hubby's past? Sometimes if you had opened up in the past and then got negative results, then you may be traumatic.
• United States
1 Oct 07
Maybe they are scarred of the outcome if they tell there fiance, spouse, etc. not that they will beat them just the argument they dont want it so the go b@tch to someone else. Or maybe they need advice before they go to there significant other with the problem. Or maybe they dont have enough trust in the relationship to go to one another. I always go to my fiance with my problems I tell him everything even if it takes me a couple of weeks to do it we know whats going on between one another. Part of this might be because I odnt realy have a good friend or because i would perfer us being honest most of its the second one. But if i went to a friend it would be for advice then I would talk to my fiance.
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• Finland
1 Oct 07
That's VERY good, libertarianfreedom, 'coz even after we vent to someone else, if the problem's serious, sooner or later we have to talk about it with our partner. GOOD for you that you have such a good communication with your fiance. ;-D
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@MarieJ23 (1040)
• United States
30 Sep 07
There are times that we just need someone outside the relationship to vent with or confide with and somehow solicit any suggestions because it could be that each party involved has different arguements so they need another opinion to open their eyes to the right thing. However,for me, a couple who are into this situations should develop their communication more. Because if you have a good communication then you will have no doubt in telling him everything you feel about him and the relationship either it is a strenght or a weakness of them. With us, we make it sure that we talked about anything first. Listen to each others opinion and try to weigh things. If on that time, one of us is acting stubborn the other one will stay calm to avoid adding pressure and make the situation worst. In most times, it's my husband who is really calm. Me? I easily flame up. But I am trying to overcome such "attitude" of me. If there is really a need for me to tell something to other people, my first confidant is my mom-in-law even if it has to do with her son, next are my few choosen friends. When I was single, my parents especially my Mom is my confidant with everything from lovelife, to school, etc. but since they are very far from me so there's a lil changes. However, I still discussed to my parents about some disagreement or situations in the relationship if I called them or during chat.
1 person likes this
• Finland
1 Oct 07
Hi, Marie! Yes, it's good to have someone to vent to or to confide in. I'm glad you and your hubby have good communication with each other. Glad also that your hubby is calm he he he...It's always good when one can balance the other out, right? THANKS for sharing your view and personal experience! ;-D
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@icycute (47)
• Philippines
1 Oct 07
bcoz dey are more close 2 each oder. ..
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