Stonewalling isn’t strategy. “I need some space, let’s talk tonight” is.

Going quiet on somebody can feel like holding your ground, but it leaves them guessing, and guessing usually makes things worse. The difference between a pause and a punishment is whether the other person knows when you are coming back. Silence with a time attached protects you both. Silence with no end reads as a penalty.

Next time you feel yourself shutting down in the middle of it, say the short version out loud: you need some space and you will talk tonight. Then come back when you said you would. That second half is what makes anyone believe the first half.