"Have you run into someone who is always bubbly, upbeat, and never seems down on life? The truth is, everyone experiences both positive and negative emotions-and when someone seems incapable of acknowledging anything less than happiness or joy in their lives, it could be a sign they're avoidant of more uncomfortable feelings. Yes, allowing yourself to recognize and experience sadness, guilt, shame, embarrassment, and anger can be unpleasant. It can bring up painful memories or cause worry about current relationships."
"But, in the end, nothing gets resolved if people cannot be honest about what got them to the place of negative emotions to begin with. If you have a loved one or friend who refuses to acknowledge negative emotions-even in circumstances that you know warrant those emotions-the worst thing you can do is ignore it. Don't chalk it up to "they're just happy-go-lucky, nothing bothers them"-that only helps those individuals stay stuck in an unhealthy pattern."
Passive-aggressive tendencies create disruption, embitterment, self-doubt, and insecurity in relationships. Such behaviors commonly serve to avoid confrontation and to conceal anger or resentment. Responses to passive aggression can either encourage healthier emotional expression or enable continued self-destructive communication. Recognizing and naming negative emotions, though uncomfortable and sometimes painful, is necessary for resolution. Failure to acknowledge sadness, guilt, shame, embarrassment, or anger maintains unhealthy avoidance, increases internal pressure, and prevents problems from being addressed. Ignoring a person who refuses to acknowledge warranted negative emotions reinforces their avoidance and perpetuates harmful patterns.
Read at Psychology Today
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