Are you suffering from emotional neglect in your marriage? You might accept the above to be a normal part of marriage, suffer in silence, and wait for the storm to pass. But it is really so easy? Today’s post will delve deep into this issue that you and several others face daily. It will look at this problem and give you ways on how to deal with emotional neglect in your marriage with some practical tips.
Understand the meaning of emotional neglect
Emotional neglect is challenging for one to identify, and it signifies the lack of action by your partner in the marriage. The major signs of emotional neglect is the absence of emotional support and failing to meet the needs of the partner. In short, it happens when your emotional needs are disregarded.
Identify the common signs of emotional neglect
To determine the presence of emotional neglect in your marriage, look for the following signs-
- You feel alone in the relationship
- You prefer spending time on your own and not with your partner
- Your partner shuts you down when you want to talk
- You are unsure what your partner expects from you
- Both of you do not engage in social activities as a couple
- Your go-to person is always a relative or a friend, not your partner
- You suppress or ignore your inner feelings consistently
- You feel uncomfortable around friends or family
- You often procrastinate on decisions for the long-term and are hesitant to move ahead with kids or buy a home
- There is a lack of physical intimacy in the relationship
- You cannot be yourself with your partner
- You do not trust your partner
Now that you have identified the signs of emotional neglect in a relationship, it is time for you to know how to deal with it-
4 Ways to manage emotional neglect in your relationship-
1. Identify the type of emotional neglect you feel in your relationship–
Check out the signs listed above and identify the type or the types of emotional neglect you are suffering from. Remember, DO NOT BE THE VICTIM!
2. Introspect and reflect
A bit of introspection is needed here like, have you contributed to the emotional neglect in any way? Are you willing to work on it and fix it? How emotionally mature are you? If needed speak to a close friend or family member or a therapist for help. Once you have everything clear, transform the problem into words and get mentally prepared to talk to your spouse about it.
3. Choose your words wisely
Take great care in explaining the issue to your problem. Use words like-
- I’m happy with our marriage in many ways but there is something missing.
- I love you a lot and want us to be closer. Will you work with me on this?
- I came across an article about relationships, will you read it with me?
These are some of the ways you can approach your spouse with the conversation- remember do not make it an argument. Take your time and be calm!
4. Work on your own emotional maturity
Irrespective of how your spouse reacts, start to work on your own emotional maturity and skills. It is important for you to understand your own emotions, feelings. In this way you can share and tolerate them to connect better with your spouse.
Emotional neglect is never permanent so healthy communication is the need of the hour to stop it. Being silent and keeping your feelings bottled up will not help you. Open up to your spouse and work together in restoring your marriage to bring in love and life back to it!
