Tell me your experience with The Silent Treatment

[InkAddict]

It's been two weeks since anyone else in this house has initiated any conversations except for Hello and the weather.

[qb]

1. I used to be a master at it.

My good friend & roommate from years ago is my ex-friend because of it.

My mindset at the time: "He ought to know what he did pissed me off. I shouldn't have to spell it out." The resentment built up and blocked any real communication. It's irrational but difficult to overcome.

I don't know what you can do to improve things in your household. My roommate pleaded with me to talk to him but I let my resentment control everything. I finally learned to communicate effectively. It is up to the silent treatment instigator to learn assertiveness and become more comfortable with confrontation. I hope things get better for you.

[hunter]

2. You mean "The Silent Treatment" is not a positive thing???

There are too many people in my own family who actually prefer it when people don't talk much. It makes it rather hard on those who would like to implement "The Silent Treatment" as some kind of aggressive act. My mom wouldn't recognize "The Silent Treatment" if you sat her down and explained it to her. If you don't tell her specifically what's wrong, she assumes everything is perfectly fine, and she is very pleased not to be interrupted by any useless and irritating conversation. A person could be a bubbling pit of silent seething red hot anger with laser beams shooting out of their eyes and my mom would cheerfully say "good morning" to them and go merrily on her way entirely unaware that something was wrong. I'm a bit that way myself.

It's possible there are people in your house who simply don't care or don't recognize "The Silent Treatment." What's uncomfortable to one person might not be uncomfortable to another.