How to cope with the silent treatment that has lasted over a decade? (details inside)

Are you in this situation? If so, what do you want to see happen?

You make a life for yourself outside of the other people. You do what you can but realize you can only change yourself, not anyone else.
You may need to get counseling to see yourself through the process and give yourself permission to find happiness without these people in your life.

If someone tried that with me I’d just cut them out of my life until they learn how mature people act. I don’t need that crap. Maybe you should look in the mirror and ask yourself why you put up with it?

You have to forgive….

…and hope for the best.

Someone has to be the first to hold out an olive branch. That probably means accepting the blame and begging for forgiveness. Of course, if the parties have been silent for ten years, then I bet there’s a lot of pride involved, so I can’t see anyone doing this.

Still, someone has to be a grownup and decide this is silly and that whatever it takes to get back together is worth it. Otherwise it won’t happen.

Someone has to be the first to hold out an olive branch. It could be you – as you seem to be interested in resolving this – you did raise the issue here and are obviously thinking about it.

But first: answer @Dr_Lawrence ‘s questions. Then do as suggested above by these smarter jellies. Rinse and repeat. By that I mean – it might take more than one try; a canyon of silence might take a serious bridge to cross.

I’d move on, the silent treatment or punishment does me a ‘good girl’ make. I’d move on to people who really loved me.