Silent Treatment, Anyone?

 

SILENT TREATMENT, ANYONE?  Supposedly, this should be a NON-ISSUE, a NON-TOPIC in fact.  BUT rightfully, that's NOT how things would go anyways.  And WHETHER that behavior OR manifestation is abusive depends on the person doing it and their motivation.  WHEN I was in grade school, I did pick up some rarely used vocabulary like OXYMORON, which essentially, is a figure of speech that brings together those contradictory terms and 'ORGANIZED CHAOS' is a popular OXYMORON BUT to translate it in more relevant terms, I'd like to tag it as that DEAFENING SILENCE, that SILENT TREATMENT that seemingly goes unnoticed even WHEN, at times, you are on the receiving end📗📙📘

And if have been on the receiving end of that SILENT TREATMENT, we would know HOW powerful [and often times painful] SILENCE can be.  BUT the perplexing question is:  WHY IS THAT?  To put things in perspective, let's align that SILENT TREATMENT is that act of withholding communication, that common stonewalling behavior that can be either intentional OR unintentional.  For some, that is a coping mechanism BUT for others, it is that way of causing harm.  BUT you might play devil's advocate and ask HOW SILENCE can be harmful.  And psychologists claim that it has to do with the effect 'social exclusion' has on our bodies and minds💥💥💥

Experts tell us that our sympathetic nervous system reacts WHEN we think that a 'social bond' is under threat.  To quote their studies, our 'dorsal anterior cingulate cortex' [that region of our brain responsible for processing pain] lights up.  In layman's terms, being ignored OR rejected hurts.  NOW, WHETHER the hurt is done purposely is essential to know BUT only up to a point.  And across the board, that 'SILENT TREATMENT' is a behavior that indicates poor communication, conflict resolution and emotional regulation skills.  Sadly, SILENT TREATMENT comes to us in different forms and shapes😡😡😡

Just to state the obvious, SILENT TREATMENT happens IF:

• WHEN you are intentionally IGNORED
• WHEN people DON'T respond WHEN you reach out
• Hours, days and weeks without communicating to you
• WHEN they talk to others [sometimes in front of you] YET they DON'T talk to you
• WHEN they leave without telling you WHEN to be back and WHERE are they bound for
• WHEN they act AS IF nothing is wrong and instead, would even initiate acts OR deeds to provoke you

Our takeaway:  WHAT is alarming is WHEN SILENT TREATMENT is NO less than an ABUSE as it impacts a person in a variety of ways.  For 'people-pleasers' OR those with history of trauma, SILENT TREATMENT is frightening no less.  And things can get worse WHEN that SILENT TREATMENT becomes destabilizing, leading one to confusion and self-doubt.  WHAT's worst is WHEN one questions himself for getting that SILENT TREATMENT, ouch!@#$%?