Many of us have grown to accept certain behaviors as ‘normal’ in relationships, but on closer inspection, these could point to more serious underlying issues. Here we’ll look at 19 everyday relationship behaviors that might be toxic traits.
Demanding Nonstop Communication
It’s normal to want to stay in touch with your partner, but, according to Web MD, expecting many messages every day or quick responses can be unhealthy. Feeling upset or anxious over not hearing back right away indicates an issue that needs attention.
Waiting to Reply to Messages
On the flip side of requiring constant communication, there’s the partner who just never responds. If your significant other claims that their lack of communication is because they ‘don’t like technology’ or because it’s ‘just the way they are’, this might actually be a toxic trait.
Being Overly Protective
Being protective is normal in relationships, but it shouldn’t become extreme. If your protectiveness really is just hidden jealousy, that’s an issue. This might show up as trying to control who your partner talks to or asking too many questions about their activities.
Ignoring Boundaries
Boundaries are important, even in close relationships. Forbes writes that being in a close relationship with someone does not mean that all of your boundaries should be blurred. If you invade your partner’s space, demand their passwords, or make decisions without agreeing on them together, these can be toxic behaviors.
Being Passive Aggressive
You might try to say that you’re ‘just kidding’ when you’re being passive-aggressive; however, the reality is that this behavior can be very damaging to relationships. Using sarcasm to criticize and undermine, or expressing anger through snide remarks, are unhealthy communication traits.
Keeping Score
Do you and your partner hold past mistakes against each other? If you find that old arguments keep coming up time and again, or are being used to keep score and win points, you may need to rethink how you communicate. In time, it’s likely this communication style will result in resentment.
Controlling Social Interaction
It’s normal to occasionally say that you don’t feel like spending time with your mother-in-law on the weekend, but if you start to control your partner’s social interactions – that’s a problem. This includes bad-mouthing your partner’s friends or restricting their social activities.
Always Being Critical
Constant criticism can make your partner feel belittled, underappreciated, and inadequate. You might not even realize how often you’re criticizing your partner, but you should pay attention to how you speak. If you focus on the negatives rather than the positives and don’t support their achievements or interests, this needs to change.
Giving Ultimatums
Ultimatums have become somewhat normalized in relationships, but Business Insider says these can push partners away. If you often say that you will break up with your partner if they do something you don’t like, or issue ultimatums to control the outcome of a situation, this can be seen as emotional manipulation.
Ignoring Your Partner’s Feelings
When you tell your partner their feelings are incorrect or that they shouldn’t feel a certain way, you’re essentially ignoring their emotions. This behavior can lead to a buildup of frustration because it signals a failure to engage in meaningful understanding within the relationship.
Controlling the Finances
It’s not uncommon for partners to have a say over what is spent from the joint account. However, if you or your partner are withholding money as a form of control, or hiding information to do with your finances, this can point to a deeper problem.
Invading Your Partner’s Privacy
We might all see the occasional text over our partner’s shoulder, but if you’re going out of your way to see who your partner is texting, emailing, or chatting to, then this is reaching red-flag territory. If you’re violating their boundaries, and snooping through their belongings, this is toxic behavior.
Love Bombing
Love bombing can appear as simple affection and attention in the beginning, states Psychology Today – this is why it can sometimes seem normalized. The signs of love bombing include an intense amount of devotion in the early stages of dating, followed by pushes to be committed before developing genuine intimacy.
Downplaying Feelings
If you respond to your partner’s emotional expressions by accusing them of overreacting or labeling them as difficult, you’re minimizing their feelings. This approach skips over acknowledging and addressing the core of what your partner is feeling, reducing the importance of their emotions.
Playing the Victim
Someone who plays the victim is always trying to shift the blame during disagreements. If this is you, it’s likely you never take responsibility for the mistakes you have made in the run-up to any argument. Another sign of ‘playing the victim’ is always manipulating the situation to try to get sympathy.
Withholding Affection
Naturally, we don’t always feel like being affectionate during an argument, but if you or your partner are intentionally withdrawing affection to get your way – this is not a good sign. Affection shouldn’t be used as a reward, or be seen as leverage in a disagreement.
Having an Unpredictable Temper
If there’s a pattern in your relationship of someone flying off the handle at the smallest thing, later apologizing profusely, and then repeating this cycle again and again – something needs to change. This type of explosive anger creates a fearful environment where partners feel like they are walking on eggshells.
Frequent Lying
Even small lies can slowly build up and eat away at the trust in a relationship. Lies can be used as a way to avoid responsibility or to mislead a partner to ‘win’ an argument. Ultimately, lying points to a lack of respect in the relationship which needs addressing ASAP.
Being Overly Clingy
Clinginess can sometimes be mistaken for affection; however, it becomes problematic when there is a constant demand for attention and reassurance from one or both partners. This level of clinginess will lead to a sense of suffocation rather than support in the relationship, likely to result in resentment and frustration.
Up Next: 17 Places in the U.S. Where Even Truck Drivers Won’t Stop
Truck drivers tend to be hardy souls—well-seasoned travelers who aren’t often afraid to rest up or refuel in risky locations. However, there are certain U.S. locations that even the most road-weary trucker refuses to stop at for fear of criminal activity or natural dangers. Here are 17 such locations that even experienced truck drivers approach with trepidation (or not at all).
17 PLACES IN THE U.S. WHERE EVEN TRUCK DRIVERS WON’T STOP
17 Things Guests Actually Notice Right Away About Your House
Inviting people into your home is a big deal. You may be very house-proud or house-conscious, and if you are either, you’ll likely get anxious about hosting. If this sounds like you, stop worrying and focus on the following 17 things that guests actually notice right away about your house.
17 THINGS GUESTS ACTUALLY NOTICE RIGHT AWAY ABOUT YOUR HOUSE
The 17 Unhappiest States in America
The US has hit an all-time low position in the World Happiness Index, tumbling to 23rd in 2024. However, it’s important to remember that location is an important factor; many US states are very happy, unlike the following 17 US states that appear to be the most unhappy.