The biggest issue I’ve faced, and still experience in friendships and relationships, is the difficulty in communicating with others. I’ve reached a point where, as soon as a conversation starts, both sides immediately assume a defensive position. We all carry past traumas and issues, and the moment we recognize a familiar pattern, triggered by a word, a gesture, or even just a disliked tone of voice, fear sets in. The arguments I witness and experience have turned into personal outbursts, where it feels inevitable to exaggerate and shout just to get the other person’s attention and, for a brief moment, break through to them. This isn’t normal.