Am I Overreacting in My Relationship?
A young woman writes to Douglas after an argument with her boyfriend left her questioning both her relationship and her own reactions. Hurt by his repeated last-minute changes of plans, she wonders whether her anger is justified, whether communication is missing in the relationship, and if her sister may be right about her emotional responses.
Dear Douglas,
I got very angry with my boyfriend recently, yelling at him and saying things I regret. My sister came in the room and asked him if I yell at him often like that. The reason is…that after telling me what I should make him for dinner he didn’t come or let me know that he wasn’t coming. Instead, he told me after that he had to eat dinner at home with his mother. It has happened several times that he will change his plans and not let me know. We have been together one year and I recently met his parents, but I am not sure if he is right for me. I have strong feelings toward him but he doesn’t talk to me very much and I am worried about that. My sister said that I have an anger problem and the food would still be good tomorrow. Is she right?
Angry and Confused
Dear Angry and Confused,
Thank you for sharing this question about anger. Often, when people have intense anger, it is a clue that there is more going on beneath the surface. Your story is a good example.
The specific situation of your boyfriend planning a meal with you and then not coming or communicating is the tip of the iceberg. It is what triggered the reaction you had. It is what your sister saw and what led her to interpret your anger as an over-reaction. She saw it as a small problem that had a silver lining…that there would be food left the next day.
Beneath the surface there is a lot more going on for you. You say that this is not the first time your boyfriend has failed to communicate a change of plans…it is a pattern of behavior that frustrates you. You also say that things are moving forward in your relationship and that you are conflicted about whether he is right for you. You are feeling fearful and uncertain about the big decision of choosing a life-long partner. You do not feel that the communication between you allows you to trust that problems or disagreements can be worked out.
Whenever we try to understand if person has an anger problem, we look at the reasons behind their anger. Anger is the appropriate response to the perception that something is not fair or right. Your anger has justification…he planned a meal with you, you went to some effort to make it, he didn’t show up or cancel, his explanation was not very satisfying. Almost anyone would be angry about that situation. The intensity of your anger is what points to what is beneath the surface. Your intense anger, and the behavior you demonstrated…yelling and saying things that you regretted…are a problem because they don’t often lead to the solution you want. But what it can do, once you have calmed down, is to point to the things that have built up in you and that require some sort of resolution. Fear is beneath it all, the fear that you will choose to spend your life with someone who does not understand what it means to hold a connection with you. Communication is the key to resolving questions and calming fears.
It seems very important that you and your boyfriend have a calm and productive talk about the pattern of his behavior you see and how it generates fear in you. Commitment comes from trust and right now it is difficult for you to feel committed…because the trust is not there.
So look that display of anger you had as a warning flag that tells you that something needs to be attended to. It helps if you can apologize for regrettable words, and it might be the door in to an important discussion that seems to be over due.
I wish you well,
Douglas
