is ignored.
But the painful part is that the other partner often interprets that silence as malice, emotional neglect, wickedness, pride, or punishment… without realizing they may have slowly pushed someone who was once deeply expressive into emotional withdrawal and survival
emotionally exhausted. Because every conversation feels like a courtroom where he is already guilty before he even speaks.
So he chooses silence. Not out of hatred. Not to punish anyone. But because he is tired of fighting battles where his feelings are invalidated and his pain