A 2016 study analyzed the effects of husbands suppressing displays of emotions within their marriages, finding that this equivalent to "stonewalling" resulted in lower marital satisfaction for both parties. Making the effort to hide our emotions isn't lost on our partners, and we might also withhold physical affection or communicate closed-off body language while doing so.

Another study on the emotional effects of withholding our complaints in relationships found a correlation between rumination and emotional exhaustion. Rumination led to passive-aggressive behaviors like stonewalling and silent treatment, and passive-aggressive responses to emotions lead to fractures in our relationships. Tara Krueger, the national director of Family Therapy Services, shared with Insider, "Adults who withhold affection may also have experienced abuse as a child." Parents who use passive-aggressive behaviors to communicate their disapproval can form a direct connection between deserving love from your caregiver and receiving their approval. This may result in the development of an avoidant attachment style.

Researcher Jude Cassidy told Psych Alive about those who form an avoidant attachment: "During many frustrating and painful interactions with rejecting attachment figures, they have learned that acknowledging and displaying distress leads to rejection or punishment." However, despite evidence for intergenerational transmission of avoidant and withholding behavioral patterns, it's possible to reframe our childhood experiences to move toward healthier dynamics in our future relationships.