How to deal with the silence treatment...?

Question

it drives me crazy...

who else finds it disturbing?
how do you respond to the silence treatment?

Answer 1

I probably shouldn't answer this, but only loser's and children use the silent treatment.


whoever is giving u the st, should be adult and sit down to discuss the issue.

me, personally, don't care when ppl do that to me. I don't do well with mind games or guilt trips, I just ignore it and do my own thing.

Answer 2

I have had months to mull this one over. My Steve was refusing to talk to me the night before he committed suicide, and I realize now it was because there was literally nothing more I could say, and nothing more he wanted to say. He had made up his mind, I realize now, some several days before he actually did it.

It was especially horrible because we had had a lot of prior discussions about suicide. When I needed reassurance, he would say, "Well, I have no immediate plans." That was supposed to be good enough. But that night, he would not say "no immediately plans," even when I prompted him. He just stared at me with the saddest eyes I think I have ever seen. A couple of hours later, when I went to the bathroom, he shot himself.

Men, the silent treatment is especially devastating to a woman, because we are more verbal-oriented than you are, and very few women are able to keep silent long enough to make a difference. But if your lady is capable of this, then you could end up silently destroying your relationship. Be glad when she insists that you must talk to her, and do so calmly and honestly. If you go silent just long enough for her to pay attention, then say, very quietly, "OK, I will talk to you if you are ready to listen. And I will listen while you talk to me."

Answer 3

I have come to realize, life is too short to keep the silence going. When ever my mom, or my husband, starts with this I continue to talk to them. For one, this drives them crazy, two, we have been given a voice, and we all take it for granted. Tell people how you feel. Tell people what you have to say. Leave the silence for when your dead. You may be sorry in the future if you keep this going. Don't live to regret.

Answer 4

My husband used the silent treatment on his first wife. He found out pretty quick that he would never be able to out silence me. It's called fighting fire with fire. If someone uses the silent treatment on you do not talk to them. If something must be said then write it down or tell someone else to tell them. It is stupid and juvenile to do this but if you can hold out long enough it will work.

Answer 5

Often silent treatment is given to keep from arguing. Give the person time to cool off and perhaps you can have a discussion about it later. Sometimes a person uses this to get their point across and lets you stew for awhile.

Answer 6

this stuffs happens to me too. whenever i am in the "not talking to you" mood. We write letters to each other, expressing how we truly feel. It worked out this way for us because if we talk and both of us are angry, we will just end up fighting over and over, but in letters, i get to say what i want without him interrupting, and vice versa. Then we evaluate what we wrote, and send each other replies, through letters also, and after that, when we both understood what we're trying to say to each other, we eventually talk to each other again as if nothing happened.
this works for me, I hope it will work for you too.

Answer 7

Ignore them completly, go into another room & read a book or watch TV, & stay away from them. If he/she comes into the room your in, walk out & go someplace else. After awhile, when they realize that its not bothering you ( even if it is )they will stop it.

Answer 8

I continue to talk to them. If they get aggravated (they will), I point out that just because they aren't talking to me, they can't control who I talk to. Drives them crazy, but usually ends up in a big fight.

Answer 9

Just ignor and go about your buisness. The best way. Don't give in till it is ended and deal struck either.

Answer 10

Depends on who it is. It bugs me sometimes, but the best way around it is to keep speaking to the person for awhile. It seems to annoy them even more that you are not respecting the fact that they are not speaking to you. Depending on who it is (like my youngest sister) I am still affectionate to her and kiss her even though she is mad. It bugs the hell out of her.