What are the signs of an unhealthy relationship? Well, what springs to mind when you hear the word unhealthy? Fad diets? Illness? Unhealthy is terminology for the presence of anything that is detrimental to your body, or soul.
Relationships too can be unhealthy. This may happen for many reasons eg. neglecting the relationship to prioritize other commitments, lack of trust and proper communication, or even in some cases abusive conduct.
Diagnosing an unhealthy relationship relies on you and your significant other to recognize the symptoms. The below applies to the behaviors of you and your S.O within the relationship as we only grow through learning from our own toxic traits.
Here are five symptoms of an unhealthy relationship.
1. Your body says no!
We produce antibodies to fight illness, likewise, your body rejects those who cause you pain through physiological manifestations on our skin and bodily functions. Eg. Breakouts and palpitations.
Your skin reflects your relationship. Stress is proven to move your circulation away from the skin creating pallor and crying dehydrates your face, thus causing breakouts.
More physiological symptoms of unhealthy relationships include weight loss and gain, resultant in altered appetite due to emotional turmoil in your relationship.
Palpitations in relation to your S.O are your body’s way of communicating that this person is detrimental to your health. Although this might not always be one of the signs of an unhealthy relationship, when combined with these other signs, it could well be!
2. You fell for their potential!
Falling for a person’s potential creates a false reality; a potentially disappointing one that your significant other is pressured to live up to. You cannot predict the future, hence settling for less whilst hoping they grow into the person you deserve to condemns the relationship’s chances of survival.
3. Your nearest and dearest reject him!
Strained relationships between your friends, family, and your S.O can be draining on your mental health and cause your relationship to deteriorate as arguments arise when you are forced to chose who to invest your time in. Moreover, those close to you can see whether a relationship brings you happiness or misery and their feelings towards your S.O may be resultant of this.
4. Your ambitions are neglected!
Love lifts us up where we belong, it does drag our dreams down to reality. Your S.O should support, not belittle, your dreams. Lack of support can lead to feelings of low self-esteem that are as unhealthy to a relationship as an inflated ego.
There is no shame in identifying unhealthy characteristics within your relationship. Many are treatable with a prescription of quality time, trust, and communication.
However, it is important to recognize the distinction between unhealthy to toxic and abusive.
5. The fine line…
In extreme circumstances, belittlement, physiological manifestations of anxiety, and social isolation may be indicators that your relationship has become mentally abusive. Gaslighting, controlling, and shaming behaviors are also indicative of abuse. For information on identifying abusive relationships visit the link below.
1in 3 women experience domestic abuse within their lifetime. Many men also experience abuse. Those affected can find the number for the national domestic abuse center. 0808 2000 247
Written by Cara Vose