Relationships can be tough.
It’s very common for substance use to further complicate relationships and make interacting with others difficult. These skills are designed to help us be effective in our relationships, and build up the way we communicate with others.
We interact with others for three main reasons, to;
- Get a result (e.g. convincing a salesman to give you a cheaper deal)
- Maintain our self-respect (e.g. standing up for yourself)
- Keep or improve a relationship (e.g. letting go of a short term goal to benefit a good long term relationship.) Sometimes this is the main reason but often it is in addition to getting a result, or maintaining self-respect. Remember that always sacrificing your own needs for the good of the relationship will not work in the long term.
While it is important to understand our main reason for interacting in a specific situation, all three can play a part in our communication.
Get your needs met (DEAR MAN)Maintain a relationship (GIVE)Keep self-respect (FAST)Middle Ground