I have shut downs quite frequently. I can't think of anything to say, so I just stop. My therapist has asked me whether I was avoiding or shut down, and we talked about what the difference is. Avoiding is won't or don't want to go there, while shut down is can't. She said that shut down was okay, if that was where I was. Then she would let me off the hook, whereas she wouldn't let me off if I was avoiding.

I think that some things might really be too hard or you're just not ready for them yet. But that doesn't mean you never will be ready to go there.

Does that help?

Rap