Like many of you, last week, I read about the 98 year-old woman charged with the death of her 100 year-old roommate. Apparently, the altercation stemmed from an argument over the placement of furniture. Though I am quite certain that there must have been other psychological factors at play here, this unsettling event did get me thinking about why some roommates react so strongly to something that, on the surface, seems to be such a benign issue.
As I mentioned in an earlier blog, there are times when roommates, like those in the general population, have serious psychiatric issues that, over time, will manifest themselves. As a roommate, you should be aware of what some of changes looks like.
Putting psychiatric issues aside, in bringing this elderly woman’s actions to a slightly more realistic, everyday scenario, I believe that this boils down to a poor method of dealing with disagreements.
Disagreements exist in all relationships, particularly those between roommates. Impulsive reactions, often the result of one’s own emotional response to a situation, usually are the types of reactions that light the candle initiating the conflict. Disagreements about the food, furniture or friendship - or any other matter - are best handled with non-emotional, communicative and compromising discussions. In the words of our butler friend William, “Murder is not an option.”
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