What's Emotional Flooding In A Relationship And How Can You Avoid It?

Emotional flooding might not seem like a big deal once the moment has passed, but you could end up saying or doing things you don't mean when it happens and in turn, hurt your partner. At times when your significant other or you shut down during conflict, the other person in the equation can feel ignored, unheard, and frustrated. If the pattern continues during most, if not all, serious conversations, a sense of hopelessness could pervade the relationship. Nothing is worse than feeling like there's no way around having conversations that matter with your significant other.  

Therapist Zach Brittle told Huff Post that emotional flooding hinders effective problem-solving too. For the person who's experiencing the flooding, it could also feel like a losing battle. As Brittle shared, "If I know what the pattern's going to do, I'm going to avoid conflict, I'm going to go around you or I'm going to skip to the end where I automatically escalate right away. I'm not going to have as much patience to stay in it with you if I already know how it's going to end."

The key to a successful relationship is in understanding that both parties can be affected by emotional flooding, even if the person experiencing the flooding may feel like all they can think about or focus on are their own racing thoughts and overwhelming feelings. Navigating emotional flooding, therefore, becomes a matter of mutual effort.