When two people enter into a relationship, it is common that each of them will have a closed off portion of their lives. They may have been hurt in a previous relationship, or their early years might have been traumatic. No matter what causes the issue, the partners must decide if it will break their relationship. If they both agree it is unimportant, then the issue may lie dormant for years. It might affect them in later life if they do not immediately address it, and most of them will work on it over time.
Those who attempt to break down communications barriers often find it difficult, and this is particularly true when their partner refuses to help. If only one person is trying to communicate, they will eventually give up when there is no response. They must find a way to help the person who is walled off to reach out to them, or they may need to face the fact that the relationship between them will never progress.
People who have long had a wall around them find it difficult to move past it, and they require an exceptional partner to help them. Patience is definitely a virtue in this situation, and a caring partner will have plenty of it. They will be willing to stop and listen when necessary, or they will give their partner the room they need to work it out on their own.
Walls are generally built for a reason, but they are not always permanent. Sometimes, people require time to get past traumatic events, and they will break down their own walls. Those that are wise enough to know they need assistance will seek professional help, and they will also turn to their partner. Those who refuse to do anything about the wall will often find they have lost the one person who would have helped them.