Never ending, I think you nailed it. Unresolved marital issues. Had them with the first one and I have them in my current marriage. Unless I am manic, I have a really difficult time communicating and expressing my anger and hurt, so it gets stuffed and I shut down.

I had the same problem in my professional life as a teacher. It's frustrating, makes me angry with myself, because I don't have enough confidence or assertiveness to advocate for myself. I give in to doubt about whether I have perceived the given situation correctly and then my feelings become invalidated. When I feel invalidated, I get depressed and caught up in the negative tape loop of hopelessness and failure which leads to a dark place for me.