Shut down during conflict?

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FlyAway22

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Does anyone else experience this? I just seem to almost shut down and go on auto pilot when there's conflict. I feel like a little kid who just wants to go hide in his room. When I'm at work I just do my job and ignore everybody else. This happens when others have conflict-parents, co-workers etc. And with myself-when someone gets mad at me, my fault or not. Of course it's worse when it's me, but still...And it doesn't even have to be anything big if it's directed at me. I'm not even able to stand up for myself anymore, I just kinda go along with it until I can get away. It's the worst thing-the thing that sets me back the most in my effort to be less anxious.

Edit-Meant to put this in misc. issues, and hit the wrong sub-forum.
 
I'm the same way - I prefer avoidance than confrontation. In fact, I've structured my life to avoid as much conflict as I can. It doesn't really bother me anymore and I kind of embrace it. I retreat and become apathetic if it happens, otherwise I risk going to an extreme and let my temper make things worse. I can only successfully deal with conflict when it's with someone I love and trust completely, otherwise, I can't be bothered.
 
FlyAway22 said:
Edit-Meant to put this in misc. issues, and hit the wrong sub-forum.

Moved it for ya. :)

It depends on what the conflict is about and if it affects me in some way. If it does I try to resolve it, if not then I just let others work it out between themselves and try not to get involved. I hate conflict, better if there were none and people could just talk things out, but that doesn't happen in the real world. Some people just seem to enjoy conflict and causing it or thrive on it. I've met a few people over the years who seem to want there to be some kind of constant conflict going on or they aren't happy.
 
Like Pike Creek I tend to withdraw internally into myself if there is conflict and then go away kicking myself for not defending myself, unless the conflict is so over the top that I have a meltdown.
 
Ditto tiina and Pike Creek.

I start to feel panicked and withdrawn and I just want to get away. I avoid confrontation like the plague to stave that feeling off. I hate it.

What do you guys think it is? Is our fight-or-flight response working correctly?
 
I know it's my fight/flight. I have had trouble with that since I had severe depression and anxiety. I actually acted on it so many times over my life. If something went wrong, or I perceived conflict (danger), I fled - literally - moved to another city, sometimes as far as to another coast. I did this a good 12 times in the span of 7 years. About 6 years ago though, I'd had enough and decided I had to nest and face whatever perceived danger it was that gave me that unbearable desire to flee. It was hard because it gave me panic attacks and kind of lured me back into old habits that I used to mask the panic. So my solution was avoidance. It may not be ideal, but I really am fine with it. I don't have friends, so no danger there. Disowned the toxic family, so no danger there. I'm a homemaker, so I don't have to deal with co-workers anymore. I live with my bf, there are problems but I've learned to face him, though he's the only one that I can face during conflict....and I choose to do/pay for things rather than deal with people, for example, I'll rent the first house I can find, no matter the price, so it's done and I don't have to meet new potential landlords. I'll do repairs at my own cost rather than having to call a landlord and risk a debate. I'll pay for my laptop to be fixed instead of fighting with the company over the warrantee. I do everything possibly by internet to avoid a customer service agent. I'll drive out of my way to shop somewhere else if I've been mistreated by a sales clerk...just stuff like that. It might seem like a lot of work/money to avoid conflict, but it keeps me panic-free and so far I don't regret it.
 
I think I shine in conflicts and confrontations. Not always in a good way, though. But I always seem to have something to say, and I don't mind getting my thoughts out there.
 
It sounds like you've had a rough time, Pine Creek, but it's great that you've found a way keep conflict out of your life. :)

I'm a little envious!
 
lifestream said:
It sounds like you've had a rough time, Pine Creek, but it's great that you've found a way keep conflict out of your life. :)

I'm a little envious!

Thanks :) But seriously, if I could face the "danger" of a potential conflict, I would probably save myself a lot of money...I really don't think I'll change at this point because I spent way too many years running away (physically) that I haven't dealt with the problem completely, I've only just changed it to a "mental" type of running away...I call it my "preventative flight method" to make myself feel intellectual lol...but it's something I've accepted so it doesn't bother me at all.

When I have no choice and HAVE to face conflict, I get the cold sweats, I procrastinate and I hide away and cry like a baby. Usually it's not as bad as I've built it up to be, but I still prefer to avoid it completely. I guess that's why I spent so many years alone, away from society; also why I was such a doormat with men up until about a year ago.
 
If my insides were visible during conflict, I am sure it would resemble a little girl crying. I feel guilty that there is conflict to begin with, let alone having to defend my position on something. Just club me and let me go hide lol :club:
 
I'm always the really laid back, chilled out, not really taking things too seriously kind of person at work. For the most part this makes it easy for people to like working around me. If a coworker has a problem with me, it is almost always because they are stressed out or angry about something else. So I just tell them to relax or I make it obvious that I'm not taking them seriously. It seems to work out for me. If they are legitimately mad because of something I did, if I feel they are right, I just apologize. If I feel they are wrong, well then they can go fresia themselves.

As for family conflict...I don't have to deal with that anymore since my family members all live far away now.

I don't really have any conflict with my close guy friends anymore. We've all known each other so long that everyone is pretty reasonable and understanding of each other. What I started doing is, if there is enough conflict that you are constantly sapping away my time and energy, I just ignore you or cut you out all together. It seems to do a good job of weeding out the "energy vampires".
 

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