While some people might think that being silent is taking the high road, it can actually be the worst thing you can do. It can leave significant psychological and emotional repercussions on the person on the receiving end.
Anger releases high energy in the angry person. It is a high moment for the individual concerned. If at this moment, he is able to divert this “anger energy” to the positive side, it will lead him towards healthy activities from negative activities. Silence is a positive response when dealing with anger.
It feels awkward, and in our argumentative, combative world, the concept of answering with silence is practically unheard of. To some, it may appear weak. But silence is a valid form of response, and frankly, sometimes, it's the very best way to communicate.
With all of the constant noise you hear on a day-to-day basis, embracing silence can help stimulate your brain and help you process information. It can also help you become more self-aware and relieve stress. Embracing silence may also help you settle into the present moment and quiet any racing thoughts.
Many abuse survivors say they hated the silent treatment more than the insults or yelling. When they were shouted at, at least they knew what was on the abuser's mind, and could better assess their own and their children's safety. Stone-cold silence can reinforce feelings of vulnerability and fear.
If someone displays unmanageable emotions and easily flies off the handle, this is a serious red flag. Responding with uncontrollable rage or the "silent treatment" could point to abusive (physical or emotional) behavior in the future, says Trombetti.
Silence speaks volumes
The best revenge is no reaction. Believe it, the silence and zero reaction really bothers your ex, and they consider it as the best served revenge. Nothing creates more curiosity than silence. Your ex would expect a vent or an angry rant from you, but don't give in.
Silence is used as a weapon to cut off meaningful conversations, stop the flow of information, and ultimately hurt the other person. In fact, research shows that ignoring or excluding someone activates the same area of the brain that is activated by physical pain.
“Suppressing your emotions, whether it's anger, sadness, grief or frustration, can lead to physical stress on your body. The effect is the same, even if the core emotion differs,” says provisional clinical psychologist Victoria Tarratt.
Silence Can Be Intimidating and Revealing Without Being Forceful. Perhaps the anticipation created through silence is so powerful, even our naval forces have tapped into the hidden potential of silence and have developed a weapon to stop people from talking.
Examples of passive-aggressive behavior include lateness, avoidance, and silence. Passive-aggressive behavior can damage relationships and make communication difficult.
Trauma and silence are about loss and suffering. The kind of loss that makes you feel it's more than you can bear. If you experience too many losses over a short time, it can feel like you've lost it all. The moment of loss takes your breath away, and your heart may feel pain.
The silent treatment, or stonewalling, is a passive-aggressive form of manipulation and can be considered emotional abuse. It is a way to control another person by withholding communication, refusing to talk, or ignoring the person.
The silent treatment might be employed by passive personality types to avoid conflict and confrontation, while strong personality types use it to punish or control. Some people may not even consciously choose it at all.
Your silence shows that you simply are confident in what you've got said which you respect the opposite person enough to listen to what they need to mention. The silence also allows the opposite party to return to their own conclusions which may lead to them digging themselves during a hole.
Silence is deemed approval.
If you disapprove and don't say anything it will not make you seem easy going. If the problem persists and you did nothing people may consider it as enabling and think the issue is as much your fault as the person who actually caused the problem. You may destroy trust and create resentment.
Purposeful Passiveness. There's a great quote from Eastern philosophy: “Silence is the most powerful scream.” We often talk about the importance of expressing ourselves, engaging in conflict and making our presence known—but the purposeful use of silence can also be a powerful tool for getting our message across.
Research has found that people who received the silent treatment experienced a threat to their needs of belonging, self-esteem, control, and meaningful existence. This type of behavior reinforces the feeling that someone we care about wants nothing to do with us. It can feel as though you don't exist.
Silent treatment abuse is a form of emotional abuse in which a person refuses to communicate with you in order to control or influence your behaviors. Taking time to cool down after an argument is healthy, but shutting off communication for a long time, especially in order to control another person, is a form of abuse.
The 3 day rule after argument is a common practice in relationships where individuals agree to take a 3 day relationship break from each other after a heated disagreement. During this time, both parties cool off, reflect on their feelings/thoughts, and avoid communication with each other.
The silent treatment (/being ghosted) can bring up deep feelings of abandonment that stir up your deepest-primal human need to connect. The thing is, the person giving out the silent treatment is likely A.) emotionally immature themselves, B.) unable to properly understand and express their own emotions, and C.)
Remember that silence can never be a solution to the silent treatment. Always approach them directly but in a calm and gentle manner. Take a deep breath, clear your mind, and talk in a private place. Make sure they are comfortable.
The silent treatment is strikingly similar to gaslighting, as both flourish in power and control. In fact, some therapists call the silent treatment a form of gaslighting, used to cause personal uncertainty, and a sense of doubt when considering goals, self-views and worldviews.
Silence may be a part of our personality, certainly, but it may also be a coping mechanism that has prevented us from properly expressing and confronting emotions and feelings. We push the feelings down and replace them with substances to extinguish them.