There are reasons not to walk out of a conversation that involves conflict.  Most often, it doesn’t solve anything.  There are occasions when walking out makes sense.  But that is usually only helpful when the parties involved are too emotional or when one party fears the other person’s physical reactions.

Avoiding a difficult situation, especially when it involves family, can take on a life of its own.  This can be true with close friends as well.  If necessary, professional help may be needed to guide a conversation.  That is why marriage counseling can be beneficial.  Having a good therapist can direct the parties in a way that encourages positive dialogue.  This is especially true when hurt feelings are involved.  We are often afraid that we will be judged by the other party.  That makes it doubly hard to talk without a mediator.

I guess the main consideration in this dilemma is just how important is the relationship with that particular person in your life.  Is it a business associate that you must deal with on a daily basis?  Or is it someone you only have to deal with infrequently?  

Of course, our relationships with families and close friends obviously  concern us the most.  It is most important to evaluate these situations with utmost care.  But the main thing is that talking it out with the people closest to us, must be carefully considered.  In work situations, if things are seriously not going well, maybe walking out is the best option.  But no matter what, each person must decide whether walking out is a good idea.  After all, relationships with the people in our lives are determined by the decisions we make: whether to work things out in conflicts, or relinquish the relationships that cause us grief or are bad for our mental health.  Sometimes walking out is the best decision.  But, not always.