Connection and disconnection in the mind.

“I’m sorry, I have something troublesome to tell you. You may not agree with it, so I’m just going to come out and say it.”

Conflict, disagreement, tangled beliefs and emotions—these are some of the most common ingredients in a difficult conversation. Whether it is arguing over a contested point of view, conflict resolution, delivering unpleasant news, talking with someone from a different social or economic background, or experiencing any stressful social hardship that is not easy to deal with—demanding circumstances require mental effort, which can be taxing on the mind.