The silent treatment
Guidance on when hostile behavior or silence can be part of a pattern intended to make someone fearful.
Read UK statutory guidanceStop
Hurting Me
Read, learn, find your words
A few places to start.
Trusted guides can help you make sense of the behavior around you. Take what’s useful at your own pace.
Stonewalling
What shutting down during conflict can look like, and how a communicated break differs from refusing to return to the conversation.
Explore the Gottman Institute guideGhosting & withdrawal
Ghosting can have many reasons. Repeatedly withholding attention or affection to punish or control is a warning sign.
Read about emotional abuseRecognizing the wider pattern
Learn about emotional abuse, power and control, and the many ways harmful behavior can show up in a relationship.
Visit the National Domestic Violence HotlineEmotional pain is felt in the body
Stress can be physical, too.
Living with ongoing fear, uncertainty, or relationship stress can keep the body on high alert. Stress may contribute to muscle tension, headaches, stomach problems, a racing heart, and changes in sleep. That pain is real.
These symptoms can have many causes, and they don’t prove that abuse is happening. If pain is new, severe, persistent, or worrying you, please talk with a health professional. You deserve care for what your body is going through.
You don’t have to figure it out alone
Support is available, without judgment.
If you’re concerned about a relationship, a trained advocate can help you talk through what’s happening and explore options. If you’re in immediate danger, contact your local emergency number when it’s safe to do so.