Red Flags in Relationships: 12 Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

“If something on the inside is telling you that someone isn’t right for you, they’re not right for you, no matter how great they might look on paper. When it’s right for you, you will know. And when it’s not, it’s time to go.”

Mandy Hale

Relationship: Red flags in relationships indicate that the individual is unlikely to be able to have a healthy relationship and that continuing down the road together would be emotionally perilous.

Red flags are indicators of harmful or manipulative behaviour. They are not always easily identified at first, which contributes to their hazard. They do, however, tend to get larger and more bothersome over time. Red flags are frequently used in discussions about toxic or abusive relationships. Toxicity can manifest itself in any close relationship, including those with friends, colleagues, family members, or lovers. Narcissism, hostility, victimisation, and even abusive behaviour are all red flags.

You can avoid being entangled in a toxic relationship by becoming aware of certain frequent red flags. When you notice relationship red flags, take a moment to focus on the dynamic you truly have with that individual. Toxic behaviour is frequently subtle and insidious. It sneaks up on us in our weakest moments, and if we don’t resist it, it can take control of our life. This can cause harm to both ourselves and people around us. Self-awareness of red flags and harmful behaviour can help us avoid them entirely.

12 Potential Red Flags In A Relationship

• 1. Not Trusting Each Other Enough

  Trust is an essential component of any healthy relationship. When lovers, friends, colleagues, or family members distrust you, this is a big symptom of an insecure relationship.

  Of course, we all have doubts from time to time. A lack of trust in a relationship is never a good thing, regardless of which side it comes from. When you don’t trust your partner, you may find yourself continuously concerned, worried, and upset. However, if they do not trust you, you may feel as if they are continuously watching and monitoring you, leaving you feeling constrained and smothered. They should not, however, prevent us from trusting the people in our lives to do the right thing. Healthy partnerships necessitate mutual trust on both sides.

• 2. Mental and emotional abuse

  In every relationship, physical, emotional, and mental abuse are evident red flags. Physical abuse is more easily picked up. However, emotional, and mental abuse can be equally as harmful in the long run. Mental and emotional violence, like physical abuse, can result in PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)

  Nobody has the authority to make you a scapegoat for their own troubles. Those should be dealt with in a constructive and equitable manner. Abuse is never an acceptable way to deal with a situation.

• 3. Double Standard

  There’s an easy method to tell if your partner has double standards. Ask yourself this easy inquiry to discover if this red flag relates to you: “Do they ask me to do things that they don’t do themselves?” Asking you not to attend a party yet expecting you to allow them to remain out late with their pals is a classic example of this. Expecting you to pay for anything when they never pay for anything is another example. Make certain that your partner does not ask you to do something that they would not do themselves.

• 4. Manipulation

  Gaslighting is a frequent manipulation technique. It is a subtle sort of emotional abuse in which the manipulator causes you to doubt your own sanity or judgement. Victims of gaslighting are made to feel guilty even if they did nothing wrong. In every relationship, gaslighting is a huge red flag. Essentially, it means they blame you for what they did or hold you accountable for how they reacted to a circumstance. “It’s just a technique of blowing you up and making you think you’re insane.” Gaslighting is a sort of manipulation designed to make you feel insecure and question your sanity, so believe your instincts and exit the relationship if something feels off.

5. Making Choices For You

Overbearing behaviour is a common red sign. People that try to control your movements, decisions, or beliefs are more concerned with their own desires than with what is best for you. There is compromise and understanding around differences in a healthy partnership. No one individual has authority over the acts of another.

It can be harmless in small doses, and it is frequent in relationships! However, if your partner becomes possessive or controlling of your plans, what you wear, who you hang out with, or isolates you from your friends and family, this can be a precursor of emotional abuse in the future. A domineering spouse is likely to have significant personal issues that need to be addressed. If your partner tries to control who you see, who you talk to, where you go, how you spend your money, what you do online, what your body looks like, what you eat, or even what you wear, you should reconsider your relationship.

6. Boundaries Blurring

Everyone’s physical, sexual, and mental boundaries are distinct. It’s all to explore these limits in a healthy way that helps both parties feel respected and comfortable when you first start dating someone. It’s a huge early red flag in a relationship if someone is pressing or coercing you into bending your boundaries. They don’t have to be sexual boundaries, either. Invading your personal space, asking too personal questions, or not respecting your time are all examples of boundaries. They don’t respect you if they push your boundaries in an unhealthy way. When they don’t respect your boundaries, they don’t give a damn about how you feel in certain scenarios.

7. Not ready to let go of mistakes easily

People who avoid disagreement may believe they are saving their relationship. However, it merely leads to long-winded passive aggression in the end.As unpleasant as it may be, accepting constructive conflict is an essential component of all relationships. Serious issues can never be handled without productive conflict. This can result in resentment and a waste of energy.

8. Getting Into Fights Regularly

If someone close to you struggles with anger control, you may feel intimidated or frightened during a conflict. A lack of emotional management is a dead giveaway in any relationship. We should all feel secure enough with a partner or friend to discuss challenging topics without fear of jeopardising our safety. Anyone who uses anger to intimidate others is engaging in poisonous behaviour. Someone who is violent against you, loved ones, strangers, or even animals is a major warning sign. It shows that they haven’t developed a healthy manner of channeling their emotions. In rare circumstances, it may also indicate a lack of empathy for others.

9. Being Insensitive When You Need Your Partner

There was a time when he/she was always there for you. He or she is now appearing extremely busy and claiming that there isn’t enough time to sit down and talk or go on a date. Although our professions keep us busy, we can still make time for the people we care about if we so desire. It is critical to spend quality time with your partner while you are in a relationship. You can make an excuse once, twice, or even several times. If, on the other hand, you only hear excuses when you ask them to spend time with you, there may be a problem.

10. When You Can’t Be Transparent About Your Feelings Anymore

A healthy relationship is one in which you and your spouse may openly communicate your opinions and interests. And if that isn’t happening, and you’re having trouble expressing yourself, the relationship may not be able to move forward in a healthy way. In a relationship, a lack of or inadequate communication should be considered a red flag. Connecting intimately and truly with another person is one of the most rewarding aspects of being in a romantic relationship. Emotional intimacy may be difficult for some, but it should always be the objective. A spouse who is uninterested in bonding and opening is a relationship’s death knell.

11. When You Can’t Be Transparent About Your Feelings Anymore

Your partner doesn’t have to be best friends with all your friends, but they should try to get along with the individuals that matter to you. They should also wish to introduce you to their friends and relatives. If your friends and family aren’t smitten with them, it’s possible that they’re picking up on red flags that you’re too enamoured to see.

12. Being Over Jealous And Dependent On A Partner

When your lover or acquaintance spends a lot of time with others, it’s natural to feel jealous. That isn’t a justification, though, to let it distort your judgement. Someone who is continually envious of your relationships with others is more concerned with their own desires than with your satisfaction.

Spending time together is important, but your partner is spending time apart in a good relationship. If your significant other becomes salty, they may feel left out. Schedule a date night as soon as possible and offer them to join you on the next group adventure. Also, try to reason with your bae about why they are so jealous.

Being able to be in a loving relationship necessitates us becoming more comfortable talking to our partner about those anxieties and weaknesses that often lie buried behind our attempts to control and dominate. As a result, couples will need to discover a new way to work out their differences. They must not place blame on the other person or dismiss the demands of the other person.” If they have problems trusting you to be independent on a regular basis, it’s a significant warning flag that they may be too controlling or even abusive now or in the future.

Conclusion

It makes no difference if it’s a sexual relationship or a new friendship with a co-worker. Knowing how to see red flags is crucial. Relationships that are toxic can still be a source of energy and enjoyment. However, we may learn to defend ourselves against these toxic relationships. Relationships can only thrive if everyone involved receives the same amount of love and generosity that they give out. In any relationship, it’s critical to establish limits.

When you love someone truly, though, you tend to overlook red flags in a relationship and relax. You may be able to overlook your partner’s shortcomings and convince yourself that they are ideal in every way. You begin to compromise on certain aspects of yourself, allowing others to exploit you. However, the repercussions of such irresponsible behaviour might be disastrous. So, if your intuition is trying to tell you anything, or if you have a feeling something is amiss in your relationship, think about it and make the best decision you can.