I recently had a client ask me which sign was most likely to give the silent treatment. I’m sure the title makes it obvious which one it is. But what’s more interesting is why.
It’s important to remember that Scorpio is a water sign, which deals primarily with emotions. And it is ruled by Mars, which makes it strategic. Putting this together, you have a sign that looks at emotions through the lens of war.
This does not mean that Scorpios are fundamentally combative – absolutely not. They are often as loyal, affectionate, and giving as any warrior is to his fellow soldiers in a war. As long as you are on the same team, fighting on the same side, they’ll lay down their lives for you.
So why would a Scorpio give the silent treatment? Because in their mind, you’re no longer on the same team.
When a Scorpio goes silent, they feel deeply wounded. They are withdrawing to protect themselves, often because they don’t trust you to protect them any longer. This may be short term. Not every stretch of silence spells the end of a relationship. But during that time, they’ll be carefully sorting out their feelings to see if there is any trust that remains. They’ll also be carefully watching you, looking for signs of contrition, kindness, or any understanding from you about what you did to hurt them. It’s a tactical retreat.
In the military, soldiers are trained to operate under a decision-making process called on OODA loop. This stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. What a Scorpio withdraws, they are observing and orienting. This is the benefit of being ruled by Mars. What others need training on, they understand implicitly.
But Midara, isn’t the silent treatment a manipulation tactic? Isn’t it borderline abusive?
Yes, sometimes it is.
To the first point, it can certainly be a tool used to elicit a response. Scorpio, is, again, ruled by the planet of war, and they will use whatever weapons are available to them. If they feel that they’re unable to get their needs met through direct methods, they may resort to manipulation.
And as far as abuse, yes, it can be. If someone, no matter their sign, is regularly using the silent treatment as a way to control the relationship, then it is absolutely abusive and shouldn’t be tolerated. The fact is that some people, whether due to trauma or mental illness or some other cause, do not handle conflict and painful feelings in a direct, caring, efficient manner. And so they’ll employ all manner of tactics to feel like they’re in control. Having been in an abusive relationship myself, I am very familiar this this phenomenon, and if you’re in the same situation, please reach out to me. I can help.
But if a Scorpio is giving you the silent treatment very rarely, and after a situation in which you know you crossed a line, then they are simply withdrawing to protect their hearts and to observe and orient themselves. In this case, the best response is space, reflection, and a sincere apology.
Scorpios aren’t the only sign prone to the silent treatment. In the next installment, we’ll talk about the reasoning behind the other likely culprits.
Have you ever given the silent treatment? What was your reasoning?
Want to understand the dynamics of your relationship? Consult with me!
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