People who communicate passively tend to avoid conflict if possible. This is the "walking on eggshells" form of communication, where a person struggles to assert their position or set a boundary. They may struggle to bring up issues and leave the relationship rather than address them.
It's sad when partners feel like they walk on eggshells because it usually means that they aren't connecting emotionally. If you constantly watch what you say to avoid offending your partner, it is usually because what you say strikes a nerve deep within them.
The term “walking on eggshells” is often used to describe being around a person with BPD. People with BPD seem like they might explode any minute, and their responses are usually disproportionate to the perceived problems.
(UK also tread on eggshells) to be very careful not to offend or upset someone: If you're sick you don't want people treating you differently, and you really don't want people walking on eggshells around you.
Stonewalling is when a person in a relationship withdraws from an interaction, shuts down, and simply stops responding to their partner. Rather than confronting the issue, people who stonewall resort to evasive maneuvers.
Feeling like you're walking on eggshells trying not to upset your partner is yet another red flag. Never knowing when the next outburst will happen, survivors adapt their behaviors to appease the abuser.
Narcissists often create situations where people walk on egg shells around them. And in my experience, it's usually deliberate. Narcissists LIKE people walking on egg shells. It makes them feel powerful, and it usually gives them more control over those around them.
People with BPD are hypersensitive to criticism and are likely to deflect any negative behavior by moving blame to someone else.
These individuals are not just mercurial, they are arbitrary and capricious in how they deal with others and so you never feel like you can relax around them—turmoil seems to always be either around the corner, a small incident or one misspoken word away. You have to tread lightly, as if on eggshells, just to survive.
Recognize when you're getting triggered and shift your attention back onto yourself. Focus on breathing, calming your heart rate, and maintaining your composure. If you need to excuse yourself to avoid a confrontation, tell your partner that you need some time to gather your thoughts.
Pocketing someone can be a subtle form of manipulation and control, as it puts the power into the hands of the one pocketing. They may want to keep their partners to themselves and not share them with others - a red flag in a relationship that indicates deeper issues around trust and control.
Routine, responsibilities, unresolved conflict, and not spending quality time together are just a few reasons couples grow apart. “Long-term relationships require ongoing intentionality and commitment,” explains Elyssa Helfer, a licensed marriage and family therapist and certified sexologist in Los Angeles.
When you don't want to share details of your day, aren't interested in letting your S.O. know your true feelings or thoughts about a particular subject, and don't want to be bothered with opening up to them these are tell-tale signs that you're drifting apart.
Instead of being honest and calmly expressing their needs, they turn to “manipulation” tactics like self-victimizing, blaming others, picking fights, making threats, etc. For instance, instead of saying “I've been feeling anxious.
Common splitting borderline personality disorder symptoms include: Sudden mood swings: When someone is in a splitting episode, it can cause rapid and dramatic changes in mood, unstable emotions, and impulsive behavior.
Rejection Sensitivity
People with BPD are very sensitive to rejection. They may lie or exaggerate to cover mistakes or to maintain an overly positive image so that others will not reject them.
Narcissists all follow the same patterns — here are some of the most common phrases they use to manipulate you. Narcissists often follow the same pattern in relationships: idealize, devalue, discard.
Focusing on your needs shows them what they're losing.
Many narcissists are users. They expect you to be there for them, but they have no intention of reciprocating. Start saying “no” to them, and focus on what you want instead. They'll get super frustrated and realize how great a partner you were for them.
There are many reasons why someone might feel anxious about their relationships. They might fear being abandoned or rejected or worry that their feelings are not reciprocated. Some may worry that their partner will be unfaithful or that the relationship will not last.
Those of us in the trauma world have a name for this way of acting, and we call this “walking on eggshells”. Walking on eggshells essentially means tiptoeing around their partner, significant other, or family member in order to avoid emotional blow ups, mood swings, criticism, forms of disapproval, or put downs.