Self-disclosure

I found the topic we recently discussed in class of self-disclosure to be very interesting.  I am a person who keeps personal things inside; even though sometimes I wish that I did not do this.  I am very quiet person when I first get to know somebody. Sometimes it takes awhile for me to open up, and sometimes I never do open up.  Self-disclosure however is important in relationships because if you do want to take things further in a friendship or a relationship, it can help you get closer to the person if you want to open up and get to know that person better. Interdependency is also important in relationships in order to keep things balanced. If you had only one person who was dependent on the other and not both on each other, then the person being depended on may feel overwhelmed, and the dependent may feel less important. In my relationship with my girlfriend we have become interdependent and I also try to use self-disclosure. I have opened up, and it feels good that somebody else can see what I am going through and be able to relate and help me through things.  Also, with some of my close friends it is important to be able to communicate about what is going on in their lives because we can help each other work through problems.  The relationship with one's parents is also discussed in the text regarding self-disclosure. It is difficult to be able to open up to your parents about certain subjects.  My parents usually have to pry into me to get anything out, even when they can tell from my body language that something is bothering me.  I hope that as I get older I will get over my difficulty with self-disclosure and be able to share and be open up about personal issues with my family and friends. This will open up a whole new experience and feelings that will help me feel better.