How to Tell If You Are in a Bad Relationship

All relationships require a significant amount of work in order to be healthy and functional. While most of us experience ups and downs during the course of a long-term relationship, if there seems to be more downs than ups then you might want to consider whether or not the relationship that you are currently involved in is a healthy one. Your relationship and interaction with your partner affects not only your self-esteem but also the way that you see yourself. You should always make sure that your relationship is emotionally stable and psychologically fulfilling. Here are some tips that can help you discern if you are indeed in an unhealthy relationship.

If you find that your partner is insulting you are putting you down, this is a bad sign. It does not matter whether or not your partner chooses to do this to you in private or in public, the effects on your psyche are the same. If you often notice excessive criticism coming from your partner on a regular basis while your partner acts as if they can do no wrong, this is an indicator that your partner probably does not value your competence.

Excessive control over your everyday activities is a negative action, and a sign that you are not in a healthy relationship. Someone truly loves you and respect you would appreciate you as the person you currently are and would want you to be yourself at all times. If you ever feel that you consciously have to avoid conflict with your partner over trivial things, you might want to rethink your relationship. In the same vein, if you find that your partner withholds affection or anything else that you desire from them as a form of punishment, then your union is definitely on the wrong track.

If you notice that your mate tries to interfere with your relationships with your family or friends, this could be a sign that it is time to break up. Someone that truly cares about you should never try to come between you and those you care about, no matter who they are. There is no middle ground when it comes to this, and there is no reason why you should have to negotiate your personal relationships with anyone, and that includes your significant other.

If you find that your boyfriend or girlfriend threatens you with any kind of punishment or consequences for making them unhappy for any reason whatsoever, it's time to get out. Some people suffer from a great lack of control in their lives and look to other people as a source of gaining this control that they so desperately need, this shows that the person has significant issues within themselves that they need to rectify before they attempt to have a long-term relationship with anyone. These issues are in no way your fault, and are something that the person needs to deal with on their own.

Life is far too short to spend time in a relationship that you are sure is on the wrong track. If you find yourself unhappy most of the time and suffering from an overbearing or over controlling significant other, it's time to stand up for yourself by sitting down and having a talk with your mate. You don't have to settle for less.