Some people struggle to open and express their feelings or troubles to others. They build emotional walls around them, keep everything themselves and tip around any conversation that can make them feel weak. Although it can provide protection from unpleasant feelings in short term, it can be harmful to mental health in the long run.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Psychologist of the Institute of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi. Arti Anand shared the reasons, some of which are hurry to close others and what kind of results can be later.
He said, “Many people build emotional walls in the form of a defense mechanism due to previous negative events. These walls protect them from injuries in relationships, although they can obstruct their personal and emotional development.”
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Why do people struggle to open?

This type of behavior is not just a habit; It often comes out of deep root experiences and fear. Dr. Anand highlighted the major reasons behind this:
- They may be afraid of being weak. Those who have experienced rejection, betrayal or trauma can find it difficult to get closer in relationships and share their feelings and feelings.
- A person with a family attachment style often struggles to open. This may be inherent in childhood experiences where their emotional needs were not continuously met, causing mistrust.
- People suffering from low self -esteem are difficult to have a deep emotional relationship to Myfind because they feel unworthy of love and are negatively estimated.
Personal attachment style behavior
As mentioned earlier, people with an familiar attachment style are emotionally withdrawn. Parihar attachment style is a type of attachment style where a person is emotionally withdrawn. Here Dr. There are some behaviors shared by Anand:
- They will often maintain a significant emotional distance in relationships, avoid intimacy and vulnerability.
- These individuals cannot be comfortable with long -term commitments or intensive emotional participation.
- They cannot marry or do not get into a committed relationship.
• They can be proud of being self -sufficient and can see emotional dependence as a weakness.
• They struggle to express their feelings, especially positive, and can close during conflict.
• Even at the time of need, they can oppose the search for emotional support from others.
Difference between healthy boundaries and emotional walls

Healthy limitations in relationships are important for maintaining personality and privacy. At first glance, they may look similar to emotional walls, especially when it comes to keeping some things private. But it is important to identify that they are naturally different. Dr. Anand told how they are different:
- Health boundaries are flexible and promote mutual respect. People with healthy borders are confident. Most importantly, they trust others enough to convey their needs for healthy boundaries.
- In contrast, emotional walls are rigid and defensive, aimed at keeping others completely out. People with emotional walls are unable to create real relations and emotional bonds. They do not trust and feel threatened instead and instead of communicating, they close others.
Mental toll to close people
For some, it has become a knee-shock reaction to be defensive, and over time, it puts severe pressure on health. Dr. Anand shared health results:
- This can cause loneliness and isolation, which can affect their mental health. There is a continuous guard against potential emotional hazards, and this may cause stress and anxiety. Chronic stress eventually causes high blood pressure, heart diseases, digestive issues and more.
- Dark connections and emotional exchanges can prevent personal and emotional development.
- Emotional walls can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, which can cause difficulty in relationships
- Emotional support and lack of connections can contribute to the feelings of depression and a low sense of belonging.
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Note the readers: This article is only for informative purposes and is not an option for professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor with any question about a medical condition.