The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

The official student news site of Athens Drive High School

ATHENS ORACLE

Search site

Visiting toxic family members should not be an obligation during the holidays

The majority of families in the world perceive the holiday season as a series of “family events.” Holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas call for dinner parties in which all members of families are invited to attend. This has become a tradition in most households, but these times usually are not as picture perfect as people make them seem.

Many get into arguments during the holidays over various things because they are forced to see one another. Especially with the numerous global issues such as politics, global warming and inequality; there is a lot to disagree upon. What most do not seem to realize is that there may be a reason that they see these family members only once or twice a year. If they enjoyed each other’s presence, they would most likely make more of an effort to visit frequently or stay in contact through the year. This concept identifies well with the proximity effect; people in physical nearness are more likely to be friends or get close to each other out of convenience.

A widespread opinion is that family is permanent and this should never be questioned. This does not qualify to the fact that family members are still people, who can be negative or even toxic people just like any other person.

Pharmaceutical companies make mass amounts of money in sales of various anxiety medications such as Xanax, when people are going to see family during the holidays. This is a recipe for disaster as people usually drink during this time and the mixture of alcohol and medication is harmful. This is definitely not the answer to this issue. If an individual sees the relationship with family member(s) worth continuing then they should really try to resolve issues with them to create more peaceful family environments. The holidays are supposed to be enjoyable and fun, not stressful. Therefore, if seeing family puts a person under so much stress that they have to take medication to see them; the obligation to see family should be void.

Mental health should be a top priority for everyone no matter what time of year. Therefore, if a situation is causing this much negativity for an individual, the obligation to see family should be completely optional.

More to Discover
Donate to ATHENS ORACLE
$0
$500
Contributed
Our Goal