It can cause physical issues as well. When you are ignored, a part of your brain responsible for detecting pain will activate, telling you that you're, in fact, being physically hurt. This can also cause digestive problems, headaches, insomnia, and other physical ailments.
The word for this is ostracism (exclusion, banishment). The psychology behind the silent treatment is that it can be a mind game for some people and, in some cases, can be used as a form of manipulation. Along with the emotional roller-coaster, it tears down your sense of self-esteem and sense of self-worth.
According to a study done in 2012, the psychological effects of being ignored by someone you love can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, social withdrawal and devoid of meaning to their lives. This, in turn, may lead to social isolation and depression that could be the starting point for long-term mental health issues.
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.
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.
The phrase give someone the cold shoulder can be used when someone ignores a person in an unfriendly way. You can also use the verb cold-shoulder. I said hello to him and he just gave me the cold shoulder. She was cold-shouldered by her former friends.
It can cause emotional trauma.
A person who is ignored feels a wide range of confusing emotions. They may feel anger, sadness, frustration, guilt, despair, and loneliness, all at once. Naturally, such emotional confusion can have a damaging effect on your psyche.
06/6“I'm sorry and I respect your space”
A 'sorry' can soften the blow and additionally if you pop up a text about respecting their decision of not talking, then it'll give them a good impression of you respecting their boundaries. And that is ALWAYS an effective way!
Key points. Research finds that feeling ignored can affect people's sensory perceptions, such as feeling that surroundings seem quieter. Being ignored creates feelings of self-doubt, feeling a lack of control, and feeling not worthy of attention.
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.
Ignoring someone can hurt if the person being ignored cares for or wants something from the one who ignores them. I have found that the true power of ignoring someone who hurts or bothers you is that it sets you free from them, enabling you to pursue your own happiness. Freedom comes when you learn to let go.
Try not to overreact
Yes, being ignored hurts, but remember that the individual ignoring you may be trying to achieve exactly that. Don't give them the satisfaction.
Most psychologists indicate that it depends on the situation. When silence, or, rather, the refusal to engage in a conversation, is used as a control tactic to exert power in a relationship, then it becomes "the silent treatment," which is toxic, unhealthy, and abusive.
People who use the silent treatment may even refuse to acknowledge the presence of the other person. People use the silent treatment in many types of relationship, including romantic relationships. It can sometimes be a form of emotional abuse.
People usually ignore others when they're feeling hurt.
If you two got into a fight or you did something unintentionally that hurt their feelings, let them know that you understand. Validate their feelings so they recognize that you're open to talking.
A 2012 study shows that the silent treatment stimulates the anterior cingulate cortex, which is the same area in the brain that registers pain. This means that people not only feel emotional pain when given the silent treatment but also a certain level of physical pain.
If they don't ask for your input in friendly discussions or show any curiosity about what you're thinking, it may mean they're trying to ignore you. They may try to skip over you when asking others about their day, avoid asking you how you feel about a decision, or even ignore you when you share your perspective.
Often, a narcissist will retaliate by ignoring you. This is a means to punish you for puncturing their delusions. They're also avoiding you because a narcissist's sense of self is too unstable to resolve conflict. They are putting you in a position to make you desperate for their approval.
Narcissists don't react well to being ignored and often try to punish the person ignoring them. Ignoring a narcissist may result in them trying to get your attention through various means, including apologizing and begging for forgiveness or smearing you to others.
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.
Examples of Silent Treatment
They may blame themselves by thinking that they did something wrong, or they may simply feel frustrated that their partner doesnt want to communicate openly with them.
A narcissist's silent treatment can last for hours, days, weeks, or even months. Our survey among 500 people who have experienced narcissistic abuse revealed that on average, a narcissist's silent treatment lasts four-and-a-half days and usually ends when the narcissist needs more narcissistic supply.