Relationship researchers and psychologists Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman have studied emotional flooding at length.
Your heart might begin to race and your palms might get sweaty.
Think about that time when your significant other stopped communicating with you mid-argument.
Or, maybe they just started saying defensive things that didn’t even relate to the conversation at hand.
Here’s the effect it might be having on your partnership.
Nothing is worse than feeling like there’s no way around having conversations that matter with your significant other.
Therapist Zach Brittle toldHuff Postthat emotional flooding hinders effective problem-solving too.
For the person who’s experiencing the flooding, it could also feel like a losing battle.
Navigating emotional flooding, therefore, becomes a matter of mutual effort.
Is it your partner’s tone of voice?
Are they being too critical?
Are they raising their voice and is that causing fear or anxiety?
Taking a timed break with the intention of coming back to the conversation afterward is a good next step.
“We don’t let ourselves stew in how upset we are.
Respect their need for space and use that time to relax too.
