Feeling included is crucial to the human experience.  Humans have to feel connected to each other to be happy, even introverts who enjoy a large amount of independence.

According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need to belong and feel accepted falls under the basic needs of food, water, and safety.  In fact, the need to belong can be so strong, that it can override the needs for food and safety.

Psychologists consider the silent treatment as a form of abuse.  It’s a popular form of mental torture used by Narcissists, whereby they cut their victims off by not talking to them for extended periods of time. Sometimes days or weeks, which keeps the victim in a constant state of fight-or-flight, during which they feel isolated and rejected, as well as physically sick.  The body’s physical reactions to this mental anguish are real. Headaches, stomachaches, and a general punched-in the-gut…