JEDDAH: The absence of emotional conversations stemming from feelings of love and affection between family members in many Saudi families makes life and living seem dark and dull.

A recent study on this problem conducted on a random sample of citizens across the Kingdom revealed that 80 percent of Saudi families live in emotional silence where feelings of love and affection are absent among the two spouses and their children.

Dialogue and exchanging phrases of love and affection among family members are important to strengthen family relations.

The survey revealed that about 80 percent of Saudi households suffer shortfalls in emotion and affection and was met with varied responses.

Dr. Hamad Al-Murij, consultant in therapeutic clinical psychology, said up to 50 percent of Saudi men in their 40s find difficulty in verbal expression of feelings of love for their wives. “Women outperform men in this aspect because of their capabilities for expression, according to scientific studies,” he said.

“The younger generations of male and female youths possess more ability to verbally express feelings of love and other forms such as sacrifice and dedication in serving and pleasing the other partner,” he said.

He explained that women are the greater victims from the absence of expressions of loving feelings. “Some women never heard a positive emotional expression even once during their marriages.”

Ahmad Al-Ghamdi, a researcher at the Sciences of Qur’an and Sunnah Center said the reasons some members of the family do not disclose their feelings of love include a lack of awareness of the importance of expressing such feelings, and the belief that declaring these feelings is considered a sign of weakness and vulnerability, especially among men.

“Some husbands are shy and embarrassed to express feelings of love to their wives. Media also lead to some misperceptions among people about married life as being monotonous and boring,” he explained.

He stressed the need to exchange phrases and feelings of love between spouses, and the care, compassion and sacrifice of the one for the other as the basis for a successful marital life.

Umm Fahd said that all her married life she was used to the lack of emotional talk from her husband. “I had three children without any affection from my husband,” she said.

Asma, a newly married woman, said she has no idea why her husband does not voice words of love to her. “I really cannot tell if this dry behavior is his habit,” she added.