What is a person with a passive aggressive personality like in a relationship? How to deal with passive-aggressive behavior? Discover the keys to confront this problem in your relationship.
A passive-aggressive attitude It can range from actions like making excuses not to do something they don’t want to do, to sabotaging someone’s well-being and success. Most people who are passive aggressive usually have four common characteristics: they are not reasonable when dealing with them, they have uncomfortable relationships, they do not usually express their feelings and they always avoid confronting others directly. These types of attitudes can harm our relationships, especially if they occur within a relationship.
What is a passive-aggressive relationship like?
There are a series of attitudes that can reflect a passive-aggressive behavior within a relationship. Among the most common passive aggressive behavior within a relationship, we can highlight the following:
- Covert verbal hostility: someone with a passive-aggressive personality You can act aggressively through words, even if indirectly. For example, you may criticize others or invalidate others’ feelings.
- Negative humor: When the jokes are using sarcasm or irony and hurt the couple’s self-esteem, this can be a passive-aggressive behavior In this way, repetitive teasing about appearance, behavior, decisions, among others, can signal a passive-aggressive attitude.
- Silent treatment: By not including you in their plans, or simply not talking to you about what is bothering them when faced with a problem, this can also be a common behavior of a person with passive-aggressive personality
- Covert psychological manipulation: A passive-aggressive attitude Within the relationship it can involve the presence of manipulation. Some examples of this behavior include lying, using guilt to achieve certain objectives, among others.
- Blame the other: Turning the blame around to hold another person responsible for personal happiness or sadness is also typical of a passive-aggressive behavior within a relationship.
- Covert sabotage: A passive-aggressive attitude It can also involve sabotage of the couple’s tasks, projects or activities. Therefore, this conduct can also cause material damage or loss.
- Victimism: Victimhood used to be able to manipulate or affect the other is a passive-aggressive attitude within the couple.
A passive-aggressive behavior It can cause a lot of damage within a relationship. Therefore, it is important to detect this type of attitudes and correct them to improve the bond with others.
How to treat someone with a passive-aggressive attitude?
When they exist passive-aggressive attitudes Within a relationship, this can end up affecting the mental health of both parties. For this reason, we recommend that if your partner has this passive aggressive personality, you take the following into account:
- Stay relaxed: A passive-aggressive behavior It can affect our mental state and make us nervous. In the face of this type of attitude, it is vital to try to remain calm and think coldly.
- Speak it: Don’t try to guess or assume you know what your partner feels or thinks. Instead, ask your partner what they want to tell you.
- Create a list: Take some time to know what you want to improve in your relationship. Write down those things that you would like to be able to change about your partner’s behavior and what they could do to make you feel happier and more secure within the relationship.
- Set the limits: Communication is one of the keys for any relationship to be healthy. Therefore, if you know what your limits are and what you want within the relationship, it is important to have a clear conversation about it.
- Go to therapy: Whether you are the one who adopts a passive-aggressive attitude As if it is your partner, therapy can help you improve these behaviors and have better communication within the relationship.
When you find yourself in a conflict with someone with a passive-aggressive personality , it is crucial to focus on the present or the future instead of repeating the problems of the past. Bringing out the other person’s flaws or flaws will not only not help the other person change, but it can also end up affecting the relationship. Above all, mutual respect is essential within a relationship.