This word will probably bring a song to your mind; it is Micheal Jackson\u2019s \u2018speechless’ for me. It probably describes how you were dumbstruck when you set eyes on that beautiful creature that eventually became your significant other.<\/p>\n
However, for some individuals, it describes what they feel when they enter their homes and immediately feel the thickness\/tension in the atmosphere. Nothing is happening to suggest there is tension, nothing looks amiss, nothing points to an existing quarrel: but that is the problem \u2013\u00a0nothing!<\/strong><\/p>\n Sometimes, it is better to have something you are dealing with, a reason to engage, than have nothing. However, there is so much to be dealt with in this situation, and nothing is said about it. The silence in these homes can be so loud till it is deafening.<\/p>\n Many married couples appear happy, as you do not hear a ruckus from their homes. They can win a ‘couple of the year’ in your community, unlike that other couple whose business is the neighborhood’s business. However, it does not mean that these couples do not have any friction or trouble, it just means they have grown speechless in the literal sense of the word (they do not know how to handle problems, misunderstanding, or conflict). It begins as a form of timidity or self-control but is a penchant to control the situation and eventually the other spouse. They have both (or at least, one party has) become masters in giving the silent treatment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let us walk through these homes and see how the silent treatment manifests. It is easier to solve a problem when you can identify it:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Total Silence:<\/strong>\u00a0Malice and unresolved conflict are regulars in this home. Disagreements fester for long periods, and both spouses are used to the status quo. They do not have any meaningful conversation again and are just like familiar strangers or roommates. It takes great effort to greet each other or maintain some cordiality. Sign language takes the place of the English language. In most cases, couples drift apart and eventually sleep in different rooms. Their sex life becomes moribund. The marriage is on its way to a total collapse.<\/p>\n 2. Morning Sickness:<\/strong>\u00a0This plagues couples with nothing to say to each other after the casual\/routine ‘Good Morning’. Everything becomes flat after that. Both parties hide behind their morning chores, getting ready for work, school runs, or making breakfast. It feels like two strangers who \u2018unfortunately\u2019 woke up on the same bed. Sometimes, this morning sickness extends to evenings too. After the \u2018welcome back\u2019 from work and dinner, nobody asks or talks about how their day went. Television and social media take over \u2013 and the cycle goes on.<\/p>\n Tomorrow, we will continue to see how silent treatments manifest in some homes.<\/p>\n