Silent Treatment: The Silent Killer of Self-Confidence

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Abstract

ion can force another person to grapple with intense feelings of abandonment. Victims of trauma may choose to engage in reckless habits to seek validation, even if the people they are seeking are bad for them or could even abuse them.</p><p id="3241"><b>People may revert to using silent treatment for a variety of reasons:</b></p><ol><li>As humans, we tend to struggle to admit and name our emotions. Often waiting for the other person to engage in conversation first.</li><li>Somebody may choose to give you the silent treatment because they are afraid of verbal conflict.</li><li><b>Punishment:</b> Another person may choose to punish you for an action they don’t agree with by giving you the silent treatment.</li><li>To make you feel bad.</li><li>So as not to look like an abuser in front of your friends and family.</li><li>Because they do not want to take responsibility for their own mistakes.</li></ol><ul><li><b><i>How you should react to silent treatment:</i></b></li></ul><ol><li><b>Accept and recognise </b>that the other person is upset. Seek guidance from the other person on how you can fix the situation. If they continue to give you the silent treatment, disengage and try again later.</li><li>Make sure to <b>remain calm and composed</b>, if you react to pettiness with pettiness, you will just be ignored longer.</li><li>If this is becoming a pattern, what fixed this last time? Was it fixed last time? If the situation isn’t getting any better, it may be worth talking to <b>family and friends</b> to get their <b>advice</b> on if this relationship is toxic.</li><li>If silent treatment is accompanied by physical, sexual, emotional or any type of abuse, call emergency services and <b>report the abuse.</b></li><li>Be mindful that a bond between two people is a two-way street. If you feel like the other person isn’t reciprocating your values, leave and find somebody who will respect you.</li><li>Make sure you communicate with family and friends. <b>Try not to isolate.</b></li><li>Practice being kind to yourself, take self-care days and <b>time away</b> from the other person.</li><li>Seek <b>professional advice</b> if this problem is affecting you in the long term.</li><

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/ol><p id="c575">The art of “silent treatment” can be incredibly cruel at the worst of times. It can leave you feeling unsafe, vulnerable and weak. It is important for yourself to recognise when silent treatment becomes abuse and that there are people out there who are willing to listen. You are strong, you are worthy, and above all else, you are special. Take care, reader!</p><div id="63e3" class="link-block"> <a href="https://write2thrive.wordpress.com"> <div> <div> <h2>Write 2 Thrive</h2> <div><h3>Welcome to my corner of the internet.</h3></div> <div><p>write2thrive.wordpress.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/0*v7-rbkxuyHfT0Xik)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="edaa" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/my-suicide-attempt-the-first-step-b5728ceac6fc"> <div> <div> <h2>My suicide attempt: The First Step</h2> <div><h3>Photo by Stormseeker on Unsplash</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*[email protected])"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="e09b" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/how-to-set-goals-and-hit-them-7f5bbd5eab39"> <div> <div> <h2>How To Set Goals and Hit Them</h2> <div><h3>Regardless of the stage of life you are in, goals (big and small) can unlock the key to a more fulfilling lifestyle. However, setting…</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*[email protected])"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

How to overcome silent treatment

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

For vulnerable people who have endured traumatic abuse, the “silent treatment” can be the most mentally depraved forms of psychological abuse. Regardless of how your abuser may word it, it is a type of sensory deprivation.

A descent into madness:

If you are in an intimate relationship, your partner giving you no acknowledgment of your existence can shatter your self-confidence in mere seconds. It is a destructive and vicious way of getting inside of someone’s head.

Silent treatment has been proven to increase symptoms of anxiety, fear of abandonment and feelings of loneliness, leading to suicidal ideations.

Photo by Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash

My personal experience:

I have been unfortunate enough to be a victim of the silent treatment. My ex-partner was diagnosed with drug-induced psychosis and they would physically attack me during episodes. After their episodes, they would go silent on me for up to seven days. I would not know where they are and they would message me at random points of the day asking to meet up, before going silent on me for hours.

Below is a picture from my time at Marchwood Psychiatric Hospital, months after leaving my partner.

Author’s image Courtesy: Luke Tarling

How silent treatment coincides with trauma:

As humans, we all have an innate desire to connect with our loved ones. These feelings of sensory deprivation can force another person to grapple with intense feelings of abandonment. Victims of trauma may choose to engage in reckless habits to seek validation, even if the people they are seeking are bad for them or could even abuse them.

People may revert to using silent treatment for a variety of reasons:

As humans, we tend to struggle to admit and name our emotions. Often waiting for the other person to engage in conversation first.

Somebody may choose to give you the silent treatment because they are afraid of verbal conflict.

Punishment: Another person may choose to punish you for an action they don’t agree with by giving you the silent treatment.

To make you feel bad.

So as not to look like an abuser in front of your friends and family.

Because they do not want to take responsibility for their own mistakes.

How you should react to silent treatment:

Accept and recognise that the other person is upset. Seek guidance from the other person on how you can fix the situation. If they continue to give you the silent treatment, disengage and try again later.

Make sure to remain calm and composed, if you react to pettiness with pettiness, you will just be ignored longer.

If this is becoming a pattern, what fixed this last time? Was it fixed last time? If the situation isn’t getting any better, it may be worth talking to family and friends to get their advice on if this relationship is toxic.

If silent treatment is accompanied by physical, sexual, emotional or any type of abuse, call emergency services and report the abuse.

Be mindful that a bond between two people is a two-way street. If you feel like the other person isn’t reciprocating your values, leave and find somebody who will respect you.

Make sure you communicate with family and friends. Try not to isolate.

Practice being kind to yourself, take self-care days and time away from the other person.

Seek professional advice if this problem is affecting you in the long term.

The art of “silent treatment” can be incredibly cruel at the worst of times. It can leave you feeling unsafe, vulnerable and weak. It is important for yourself to recognise when silent treatment becomes abuse and that there are people out there who are willing to listen. You are strong, you are worthy, and above all else, you are special. Take care, reader!