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That feeling of not wanting to talk to your partner may start off as something small, but in if not solved, it can end up damaging a relationship.
A study by PsychCentral shows that communication is one of the cornerstones of a healthy relationship.
Refusing to engage, especially during times of conflict, can be perceived as a form of rejection.
This will wound the person experiencing it and can cause damage to the relationship.
According to PsychCentral, silent treatment leads to broken trust, where the pain of rejection that’s experienced can damage and even destroy the emotional trust between partners.
It says that a person experiencing the silent treatment may think, “I don’t trust that they won’t hurt me. In fact, I actually trust that they will hurt me again”.
The silent treatment may lead to resentment because people behave in ways they feel aren’t fair.
Resentment can build over time and cause damage to relationships.
It may also lead to decreased intimacy where partners create barriers to emotional and physical intimacy.
Research by the Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science 2022 shows that People use silent treatment across different relationships for purposes of punishment, manipulation, defence, and for rejection.
According to the study individuals who remain at the receiving end of silent treatment for prolonged periods may experience loneliness, depression and physical health problems.
The study revealed that silent treatment is usually used by choice to end relationships with others.
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