Depression Creates Communication Barriers in Relationships

Depression creates barriers to communication and commitment in couples, according to a study in the journal Communication Monographs (Knobloch, Sharabi, Delaney, & Suranne, 2015).

Depression is linked to social withdrawal, which can be problematic in a relationship as it limits communication and commitment. Avoidance may in fact be due to a wish to preserve a relationship, despite feelings of futility, fear of conflict and a lack
of effective coping strategies.

Uncertainty about commitment within relationships has been shown to cause an avoidance in discussing sensitive topics. The study looked at the uncertainty this causes and the barriers to communication it sets up in this study, which analyzed 126 couples.
The results showed that for a majority of subjects, uncertainty about the relationship was linked to the avoidance of sensitive topics.

The authors of the study say that, “Our results also have pragmatic value for suggesting that relational uncertainty may be a site of intervention for helping people with depressive symptoms be more comfortable discussing challenging issues…(and)…
as a step toward unravelling the complexities of people’s avoidance behavior in the context of depression.”

The findings of the study show that it’s important to treat depression before it erodes your relationship. There are many studies showing that EFT effectively treats depression; you can both use it alone, and work with a certified Clinical EFT practitioner.