Miss Emma Dilemma: When partners go silent

"Sometimes my partner shuts me out and goes silent when we are in an argument. What can I do to get through to her?"

Everyone reacts differently to conflicts. Silence is fairly common and is often used to avoid confrontation or to process information. However, it often makes the other person feel ignored so finding middle-ground is important. In a calm moment when there is no conflict occurring between you, try asking your partner what they need from you when they begin to shut you out. It could be as simple as needing a thirty-minute pause from the conversation to gather their thoughts and calm down. It’s also possible that they may be unsure as to how to deal with it at all. In this case, researching methods to approach arguments could be a good way to find new methods of handling these situations .

Resources to get your research started:

• How to Respond When Someone Gives You the Silent Treatment

• The Antidote to Stonewalling

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About the Author

Miss Emma Dilemma

Hey everyone, I am Miss Emma Dilemma from Healthy U! I am here to help answer your student related health and wellness questions and get you out of your dilemma!

Keep an eye on our Instagram page @healthyuofm for the next time we start accepting inquiries for each topic!