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What Is Stonewalling In A Relationship
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Stonewalling is a form of emotional abuse in relationships wherein one partner shuts down emotionally, cutting off communication and essentially leaving their partner feeling unsupported, unheard, and invalidated. It’s an attempt to gain control in the relationship.
When someone is stonewalled, it’s usually because their partner does not have the skills to handle conflicts effectively and instead withdraws from them. This behavior is often referred to as ‘stonewalling’ or ‘the silent treatment,’ which describes the avoidance of communication with someone who has attempted to engage them in conversation. It can range from mild forms (i.e., ignoring calls and texts) to more extreme forms (i.e., actively resisting face-to-face conversations).
Ultimately, stonewalling creates a power imbalance within relationships due to one partner feel unheard, disregarded for their feelings or opinion, dismissed, or not taken seriously by another party. The stonewaller usually has difficulty expressing strong emotions like anger or frustration openly; instead choosing to react through passive aggression by refusing any attempts at resolution. Stonewalling can create a cycle of hurt feelings if it isn’t addressed and overcome quickly in order to re-establish healthy communication between partners.
Introduction: What is Stonewalling & Why Should You Care About It?
Stonewalling in relationships is a practice of reacting to intense emotions by shutting down communication and refusing to engage. While it can be a valid response in some extreme circumstances, stonewalling often has negative connotations when used in an unhealthy manner.
The term “stonewalling” was first coined by Dr. John Gottman, who studied couples relationships and determined that the propensity of one or both partners to withdraw from conversations contributed significantly towards relationship breakdowns. In many cases, if left unchecked, stonewalling can lead to frustration and resentment in the other person — and ultimately even end the relationship altogether.
It’s critical to understand what stonewalling is, why it happens, and how we can all avoid it before it puts your relationship at risk. By understanding this behavior more deeply, you’ll be more equipped to navigate tough conversations productively and compassionately — which will naturally create more love instead of less!
Types of Stonewalling & Passive Aggressive Behaviors
Stonewalling is the habit of becoming emotionally unavailable in a relationship, often as a way to avoid conflict. But it’s not the only passive aggressive behavior out there – there are also several types of stonewalling and passive aggressive behaviors that can wreak havoc on a relationship.
One type is deflection. In times of disagreement or tension, someone using deflection might respond to critique with unrelated anecdotes or deflect any aggression back onto the other person. Another type is criticism. Criticism looks like constant pointing out of other person’s faults, which can both hurt the victim and add fuel to an already tense situation. Another one is procrastination; this tactic allows one person to delay or avoid doing something because they don’t want to do it, rather than addressing why they don’t want to do it. Finally, there’s avoidance – putting off difficult conversations or pretending not to care about issues being discussed when in fact feelings are running high and real conversations need to be had.
No matter the type, these forms of stonewalling and passive-aggressive behaviors have serious consequences and should be addressed head on – otherwise they will continue growing more powerful until your relationship suffers untold damage.
Signs You Might Be Struggling with Stonewalling in Your Relationship
Stonewalling is a common problem in relationships, and it can be difficult to know if you or your partner might be struggling with it. Here are some signs that you might be struggling with stonewalling in your relationship:
1. You avoid meaningful conversations – If you find yourself actively avoiding conversations, especially ones around important topics or issues, this could point to something deeper going on. This is an unhealthy form of conflict avoidance, which can also lead to further disconnection and distance between partners.
2. You’re unable to verbalize your feelings – Stonewallers often have difficulty expressing their feelings verbally when they’re upset with their partner. Instead, they may resort to nonverbal communication like body language or even simply walking away from the conversation.
3. You become defensive in arguments – It can be easy to become defensive when faced with disagreements or criticism from our partners, but if this becomes a pattern in your relationship then it could signal stonewalling behavior. The key here is understanding why you’re feeling defensive and trying to express these underlying emotions honestly instead of avoiding them altogether.
The Effect of Stonewalling on a Relationship
When stonewalling is used in a relationship, it can lead to diminishing emotional and spiritual closeness. This type of negative communication pattern can lead to feelings of hopelessness and frustration. Stonewalling can cause a person to feel helpless and resentful, because their emotional needs are not being met.
Even if the stonewaller is trying to avoid an argument, this does nothing good for a relationship. In fact, it actually creates more distance between the two people. Over time, these walls of silence start to build up and crumble the foundation of trust and love within the relationship.
The effect of stonewalling on a relationship can be devastating. Nobody feels heard or understood when they’re in a relationship with someone who shuts down communication whenever there’s a disagreement or difficult situation. Such behavior also takes away any possibility of resolving conflicts productively or creating positive connections that benefit both parties in the relationship.
How to Overcome or Resolve Unresolved Problems in a Relationship
Stonewalling in a relationship refers to one person who deliberately avoids or withholds communication or connection for the purpose of avoiding a conflict or disagreement. Learning how to overcome these unresolved problems can lead to healthier relationships.
One of the best ways to move forward is to acknowledge the issue and open up communication through active listening. This means that both partners need to acknowledge what they are feeling and listening non-judgmentally to each other’s feelings, needs, and wants. It can also help to recognize any underlying issues that might be at play in order to resolve any current or future conflicts.
Being willing to accept responsibility for errors made in the past is another way of helping build trust with your partner again after stonewalling. Practicing loving kindness and understanding will also go a long way towards building trust again and can be done by being mindful of the loves language preferences for each partner and finding ways like kind words, thoughtful gestures, small surprises, etc., that will make them feel valued again. And finally, compromising on solutions together without feeling like one person has “given up too much” can be an effective way of resolving problems between partners while still maintaining respect for each other.