People have different ways of handling their emotions—some are gentle, some docile, and others aggressive. Among the aggressive types, there are those who express it openly and those who exhibit passive-aggressive behavior. Dealing with any form of aggression is difficult, but handling a passive-aggressive person can be particularly challenging. Passive-aggressive persons don’t openly express anger or dissatisfaction, instead, they behave in ways that create discomfort for others. A simple test of a passive aggresive behaviour is inability to accept criticism and uncooperative, resistant response to such criticism.

In personal relationships, we often encounter individuals who resent to accept suggestions or criticism. When faced with criticism, they may become defensive, justify their actions, or argue instead of taking the feedback constructively. The passive-aggressive response to any comment or request is often to withdraw emotionally. They may stop talking, avoid confrontation, or act unsupportive, using these behaviors to make you feel guilty or to signal that your feedback is unwelcome. Their expectation is often for you to apologize, even when your intent was to help or improve the situation. Over time, this behavior can create distance between relatives and friends, as no relationship can thrive when one person is unapproachable about issues that matter to the other. Many people avoid to approach such a passive aggresive person for the fear of such behaviour, but how long can you avoid addressing something that genuinely bothers you?

Another common trait of passive-aggressive individuals is that they don’t take suggestions seriously. Instead of outrightly refusing, they may delay implementation, dismiss the suggestion with humor, or simply ignore it, leaving you feeling disregarded or even ridiculed. This subtle resistance, often through procrastination or non-cooperation, can create a frustrating and demoralizing environment.

Dealing with a passive-aggressive person can be mentally exhausting. The relationship becomes unenjoyable and unproductive. Their behavior often leads to tension, and sometimes, in an attempt to ease the situation, you might apologize just to restore peace—even though you know you weren’t in the wrong. But how long can this cycle continue? If the other person refuses to accept feedback and refuses to change, it’s unfair for you to always be the one making adjustments. This dynamic can become so frustrating that, over time, you may start to emotionally disengage from the relationship. While the relationship may continue on the surface, your interest and involvement in it may fade, and eventually, you may need to decide whether to walk away entirely if the passive-aggressive behavior doesn’t improve.

Have you encountered a passive-aggressive person in your life? How did you handle the situation? Did you choose to ignore it, or did you eventually distance yourself?