While we always preach the need for healthy communication in a relationship, couples can often fall into passive aggressiveness instead of open communication.
In this article, we’ll be going over a few examples of passive aggressiveness in a relationship. We’ll also be going over how you can talk to your partner if you notice this behavior.
Examples of Passive Aggressiveness
Passive aggressiveness can take many forms in a relationship. Typically, passive aggressiveness comes about when someone tries to express their anger without being directly confrontational. This may look like:
- Withholding affection
- Talking behind your back
- Avoiding quality time together
- Silent treatment
- Being distant
While it may not always be the case, passive aggressiveness is typically the result of unresolved conflict. Maybe you had a fight that wasn’t settled, or maybe you did something that angered your partner without realizing it.
Learning how to recognize and confront passive aggressiveness can be a good way to resolve issues with your partner. Below we’ll be going over some tips for how to deal with a passive aggressive partner, which will hopefully lead to better communication.
How to Deal with a Passive Aggressive Partner
As with most relationship issues, open communication is the best way to come to a solution. The issue with passive aggressiveness is that it avoids direct communication by nature.
While this can be frustrating, try to understand where your partner is coming from when they’re being passive aggressive. They may have a hard time expressing their feelings, or maybe they need time to process their anger. Seeing things from their perspective will help you resolve the conflict easier once you talk about it.
Ultimately, the best way to deal with passive aggressiveness is to confront it head-on. If you respond to passive aggressiveness with similar behavior, you can create a cycle that never gets resolved. Instead, try to talk to your partner about the issue at hand.
Tell your partner that you don’t want conflict and that you want to resolve the issue at hand. As mentioned earlier, try your best to see things from their perspective. Hopefully, this can lead to a more productive conversation, and will eventually lead to a solution.
If you find your partner is often passive aggressive, try telling them how it makes you feel. Explain that issues are easier to resolve when you talk about them instead of letting them simmer. While it may be difficult for them to communicate their feelings, it is a crucial part of any healthy relationship.
Also, try to make your partner feel comfortable when sharing how they feel. By creating an environment where your partner feels comfortable talking with you about anything, they likely won’t resort to passive aggressiveness as often.
Conclusion
It can be very difficult dealing with a passive aggressive partner. We recommend always communicating openly, and trying to resolve issues with your partner when they come up. By practicing open communication, you will hopefully show your partner that being passive aggressive isn’t necessary.
