Relationships are not always a walk in the park; sometimes, there are arguments and disagreements. However, the bad times shouldn’t exceed the good times. If you are experiencing more bad days filled with unending heated arguments, you are in a toxic relationship that you should consider leaving.
Bad relationships can raise your stress levels to the point where you are more likely to get heart disease. New relationships can be very exciting and sometimes magical. As you learn about your partner, be aware of unhealthy behaviors in relationships.
Here are the 13 telltale warning signs that you are in an unhealthy relationship:
1. Constant Stress
A normal amount of tension runs through every relationship, but finding yourself constantly on edge indicates that things are not okay. This ongoing stress can take a toll on your physical and mental health
If you constantly feel unhappy being around your partner, it could be a sign that things need to change.
2. Toxic Communication
Instead of having healthy conversations with your partner, most of your conversations are filled with insults, sarcasm, or criticism. If your partner is constantly bringing you down by using overly hurtful words, that’s a red flag.
If you feel the need to avoid talking to your partner, it is a sign of a bad relationship.
3. Isolation from Family and Friends
Your partner being extremely jealous can escalate into limiting your time with your family and friends. Isolating you from your friends or family is a way of controlling your social life. Cutting you off from your support network makes you not communicate with them in case of problems.
You should continue having a life outside your relationship.
4. Excessive Jealousy
A little jealousy is natural in a relationship, but an excessive amount is a sign of a toxic relationship. Extreme jealousy can be shown by hacking into your phone or social media accounts or recurring arguments about your past.
A healthy relationship requires trust, while jealousy insinuates the lack of trust.
5. Stonewalling
If you feel afraid of bringing up some topics in fear of your partner going silent or leaving, they might be stonewalling. A toxic relationship feels like you are walking on eggshells, not to trigger your partner.
Proper communication is essential in a healthy relationship. You should be comfortable discussing any topic with your partner.
6. Physical Abuse
Your partner inflicting physical pain on you is a sign of a toxic relationship. There are no reasons to justify getting hurt or hurting your partner. If you feel pressured to forgive physical abuse, you are encouraged to reach out to someone you trust for help and support.
Click here for resources to help you get through abuse.
7. Volatility
Your partner is volatile if they have extreme and unpredictable reactions making you feel scared, confused, or intimidated. This creates an unhealthy environment that limits the growth of the relationship.
This hinders proper communication and interferes with how you relate with your partner.
8. Over-Dependency
Overly dependent partners, who depend on you to make every decision for them, are toxic controllers in a way. You become responsible for the outcome of the decision you made for them. They tend to respond using passive-aggressive behaviors such as not talking to you or pouting when things go wrong.
Over dependency is one of the forms of toxic control behaviors.
9. Lack of Trust
Being overly insecure about your relationship with your partner is a sign of a bad relationship. Lack of trust in your partner to be faithful and behave in the best interest of your relationship proves you are not in a healthy relationship.
In a healthy relationship, there is security in the stability of the relationship.
10. Dishonesty
Lies, no matter how small, erode credibility over time. If your partner frequently tells lies, it signals they don’t respect you as a mutual partner who deserves honesty. A relationship built on lies is bound to break eventually.
A lying partner is a manipulative partner. Frequently catching your partner in a lie is a sign that you are in a relationship with a toxic person.
11. Mutual Avoidance
If you and your partner are finding yourselves making excuses not to spend time together, it is a sign you need a break from each other. Being around one person for a long time can be boring at times. You should talk with your partner to find out whether the feeling is mutual.
If the feeling is mutual, you should consider taking a break from each other to figure things out.
12. Gas-Lighting
Your partner might be gas-lighting you if you frequently feel like your concerns are being dismissed and labeled as petty. Gas-lighting is the modern equivalent of psychological manipulation in which your feelings are manipulated to suit the needs of the gas-lighter.
This form of manipulation can go undetected until the relationship starts becoming toxic.
13. Selfishness
If you feel like your entire relationship revolves around your partner, you are dealing with a selfish partner. A selfish partner makes you feel like their problems or achievements are ever greater than yours. A person who displays such behaviors tends to be also arrogant and lacks empathy and compassion.
It is impossible to have a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with a selfish person.
Conclusion
If you have observed several or all of the above warning signs, you should consider leaving the relationship. Do not stay in the relationship with the hope of changing the person because that never works.
You will continue hurting yourself and wasting your time because change is always a personal decision. However, if both of you are willing to repair the relationship, you can always seek professional help to aid you in your journey.
Sometimes when a perfectly healthy relationship goes through its ups and downs, either one or both partners can become susceptible to toxic behavior.
