Passive-aggression can be a hard game to play as a partner, even for the most emotionally healthy and stable individual. The game is winnable, though, if you use strategies aimed at reducing your partners passive-aggressive behavior.

Do passive aggressive people have feelings?

Someone who uses passive aggression may feel angry, resentful, or frustrated, but they act neutral, pleasant, or even cheerful. They then find indirect ways to show how they really feel. Passive aggression isnt a mental illness. But people with mental health conditions may act that way.

Can a passive aggressive man change?

A passive aggressive person does not easily change, so keep this in mind when you realize you are dealing with a passive aggressive personality.

What triggers passive-aggressive behavior?

Parenting style, family dynamics, and other childhood influences may be contributing factors. Child abuse, neglect, and harsh punishment can also cause a person to develop passive-aggressive behaviors. Substance abuse and low self-esteem are also thought to lead to this type of behavior.

What is passive aggressive in a relationship?

Passive aggression is the indirect expression of anger by someone who is uncomfortable or unable to express his or her anger or hurt feelings honestly and openly. While someones passive aggressive behavior may make you instantly feel like youre in the middle of a fight, thats what he or she is trying to avoid.

Is calling someone passive aggressive an insult?

Being passive-aggressive doesnt mean youre a bad person. Often its “a strategy we use when we think we dont deserve to speak our minds or were afraid to be honest and open,” says psychotherapist Tina Gilbertson, LPC, author of Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings.