my ex used the silent treatment as punishment. He knew how bad my anxiety got & would ghost me for days on purpose. Now when anyone takes too long to text back, my brain goes straight to panic. This is what people mean when abuse doesn’t end when the relationship does.
one thing... I CAN NOT STAND.... is being ignored. if you're busy, say so. if you are not in the mood to talk, say so. if you are done with me, SAY SO. COMMUNICATE.
Nobody really cares about your mental health until it starts showing up as anger. When you’re quietly overwhelmed, carrying the weight of everything by yourself, people tell you to “stay strong” and keep pushing like nothing is wrong. But the moment all that bottled-up pain comes to the surface and you stop handling it the way everyone expects, suddenly you’re the problem.