How Your Fear Of Confrontation Is Ruining Your RelationshipZUMI

There will be times in your life where you’ll have to stand up for yourself. And this is even more so in relationships. There will be arguments, disagreements, and situations that require you to face each other and say exactly what you need.

While this is not a problem for some people, it can be a major hassle when you have a fear of confrontation. If you’re the kind to shrug and let things go very often, you could be ruining your relationship without even realizing it. Here’s how:

You have problems talking about what hurts you

So your partner makes a decision or even says something that hurts you. It probably didn’t happen in a tense situation and you worry that if you say something, things can get awkward. So you let it go and assume you will get over it eventually. And you’re probably right. In a few minutes, it feels like what he did no longer bothers you. But sweeping issues like this under the rug is a recipe for disaster. For one thing, your man won’t know what it is that hurt you and will very likely say or do the same thing over and over again. These little bits of hurt will continue to build until you find yourself feeling resentful which can be very dangerous.

(Photo: Vox)

You back out of arguments

If you have a fear of confrontation, you’re very likely the type to walk out when things start getting heated. What this means is that you never tell your side of the story and your man doesn’t even get the chance to express his feelings either. After a while, the fights stop happening which means you’re each slowly giving up on your relationship.

You lose control of your emotions

When you’re in a relationship where you have difficulties talking about how you feel, chances are you’ll end up overreacting at one point. Your fear of confrontation means you hold back a lot. Unfortunately, these feelings do not disappear. Some people handle it by looking for passive-aggressive ways to lash out such as the silent treatment and withholding affection. There’s also a chance that you’ll just up and walk out of the relationship one day without ever expressing how you feel.

(Photo: YouTube via Rihanna VEVO)

To avoid this, it’s important to get in touch with your feelings and find comfortable ways to express yourself. You can start with some less upfront methods like writing your partner an email or a letter. Whatever it takes to get your feelings out.

For more sneaky relationship stressors, check out these problems that can affect your sex life as a couple.