The silent treatment goes by many names: shunning, social isolation, stonewalling, ghosting. Although psychologists have nuanced definitions for each term, they are all essentially forms of ostracism.

The silent treatment is a particularly insidious form of abuse because it might the victim to reconcile with the perpetrator in an effort to end the behavior, even if the victim doesn’t know why they’re apologizing.

“In the short term, the silent treatment causes stress. In the long term, the stress can be considered abuse.”

In serious cases, ostracism can take a heavy toll whereby victims become anxious, withdrawn, depre...