My pisces just thinks "OH you are giving me the silent treatment!" I could imagine myself saying it too. And smile. I see manipulation/power plays with my merc. But my gemini moon gets hurt by this. Now I channel that people have a right to their privacy so if they want to retreat I try not to take it personally. But the ex ex did everything passive agressive.. so I will call them on passive agressive crap like that. Witholding as punishment is not cool. Besides in a relationship there should be no "punishment" that's for creating a dysfunctional relationship.

I can agree with McKenna's perspective, and GW's thoughts on the silent treatment. This was one of my twisted Libra/Leo dad's favorite forms of emotional manipulation/humiliation. 1st house Gem Moon conjunct Mercury didn't get it.

I also can understand, agree with, and appreciate Shannon's take on it; still communicating openly there. And Nutsy's thoughts. My Mom will say, rarely, as she doesn't get that mad very often, "I can't talk to you right now, or I'm going to say something I know I'll regret. I'll talk to you later."

And that makes sense to me. It's also happened maybe three times in 29 yrs of memory, so I think I'm doing pretty good keeping the Pisces/Leo calm.

Everything, everything you said Liz. Couldn't agree more. And, I think as kash pointed out, even just saying "time out" changes the picture...as long as they do intend to communicate at some point. Otherwise, it's just pass-agg manipulative punishment and a recipe for dysfuction. I can respect the opinions and experiences of others here too, though, who have their own reasons for withholding communication/not blowing up. I just know I never wanna be in another relationship with someone who uses it in a manipulative way, not because they needed time to gather thoughts/cool off, etc.

I used to do that when I was married, I married at seventeen. I'm astounded now at how passive aggressive that was...like I expected him to be a mind reader or something...

@Opal - that's nothing. When I broke up with my Scorpio ex I was so mad I didn't talk to him for 6 mos no texts, no calls, no facebook, absolutely nothing, while I was pregnant with his child even. But he deserved it in my mind and I don't regret it. I even moved and wouldn't give him my new address or tell him where I was... because he kept sending our mutual friends to try to ask about me. It was really frustrating to me that he behaved the way he did that caused me to break up with him and then acted like he still wanted to be with me..... I don't deal with that crap and I have no problem cutting them out of my life for as long as I need to.

Yeah, but when you're living in a house with someone, and they're ignoring you, and refusing to talk to you at all.....it's torture because you have nowhere to retreat and be at peace. Your home is your sanctuary, and when someone in it, the person who is supposed to be closest to you and be your support is behaving like that, it's like living in hell. If we'd been split up at least I'd have had my space, y'know?

And he used to do this every time there was a problem - that time was the longest while we were living together, but it was his general way of dealing (or not dealing) with any difficulty or problem that came along. When we did finally split up, he disappeared with no contact for six months leaving me to sort out all the debts and household admin. And so it goes on still.

Kash is right, they use it as a weapon. Communication is a basic emotional need, without it, people can go crazy, which is why they put prisoners in solitary confinement as a punishment. I used to watch him watching my reaction while he refused to talk about things that needed to be dealt with, and I could see the power-tripping in his eyes. It's disgusting, frankly.