I have difficulties understanding passive aggressiveness and why people use it as a communication tool. I am extremely straight forward. If someone I know is doing something I dislike or that is offending me/triggering me, I don't make ambiguous statements or posts on social media about it. I go straight to the core of the issue and say "what you're doing is hurting me and I think you need to stop". We talk about it, it clears up, the end.

I have this friend who moved away after school and we communicate mainly through text. Recently, I haven't been available to text back as often as I once was. For one, my phone was turned off for a bit because my bill was late. For another, I have been extremely busy handling family affairs, doctors appointments, and juggling work. All of which she was told about. She has recently been making, and I will say, blatantly over dramatic posts, about how its nice to "be ignored" and all of these other lovely over dramatic statements.

Last night I said enough was enough and contacted her, and not aggressively. I simply said "Hey, I don't know if those posts you're making are about me not being around as much. But you know if something I am doing is bothering you, you can always come to me."

She then said "Yes. It was about you. And I will make posts like that in the future.".... what? I literally just told her she can tell me anything, if a behavior of mine is bothering her so I can work on changing it, etc. It's as if this is her form of punishing me for something that is out of my control. The topper to it all was that few weeks ago she said "we can't be each others only friends 24/7" of which I agreed with.

I honestly have no idea how to handle passive aggressiveness. I told her she is being passive aggressive, and then she said I was attacking her. I do not understand. If you have an issue, be straightforward. What is the point in playground behavior?