This is a collaborative post.
Most people imagine that a romantic partner will add to their lives. But unfortunately, that’s not always the case. When things go wrong within the relationship, it can have a negative effect on your mental health and well-being.
How can things play out in the wrong way? And how do they affect our overall peace levels? Here are 6 signs that your relationship is harming your mental health.
1. Emotional Manipulation
Romantic relationships can lead to emotional manipulation. Partners who gaslight or guilt-trip can be difficult to manage and slowly erode your self-confidence over time.
Many partners get into the habit of twisting situations and making the other person feel responsible for their emotions. For example, you could be walking down the street and your partner could accuse you of ogling another person, even if you weren’t. These sorts of interactions can seem funny at first, but become much more serious over time.
2. Constant Criticism
Another sign of a dysfunctional relationship is constant criticism. Partners who make the other person in the relationship feel bad can chip away at your confidence and leave you feeling alone.
This criticism is sometimes a reason to get support for domestic abuse. If your romantic partner is verbally or emotionally abusing you, asking professionals for help can be a great way to move forward.
3. Controlling Behaviour
Related to the last two points, you often see controlling behaviour in abusive relationships. Partners who try to tell you what to do all the time can make you feel helpless and unable to take charge of your own life.
Putting a stop to this kind of behaviour is usually the only route you can take back to autonomy. Otherwise, you are far more likely to experience trauma and stress.
4. Lack of Emotional Support
Partners should be there for each other when things get hard. If yours isn’t there for you when you need emotional support, that can put a spanner in the works.
Emotional support is usually a necessary part of close intimate relationships. But if your romantic partner dismisses you when you’re going through a rough patch in your life, then it can increase loneliness and feelings of isolation. Ideally, you want a partner who can help you to a degree during these challenging times, even if they can’t quite reach the level of a professional therapist. Partners should be trying to get you help or be offering it directly themselves.
5. Infidelity
Infidelity and betrayal are further ways a romantic relationship can be harmful and lead to a loss of a sense of security. It can also sometimes lead to PTSD and anxiety, with the emotional fallout lingering. Unfortunately, infidelity is a risk in all relationships that are exclusive, and it can affect future self-worth.
6. Verbal Abuse
Finally, some relationships are characterised by verbal abuse. Name-calling and other tactics create a toxic environment that makes you feel down. Verbal abuse might not seem as bad as physical abuse, but it can also have lasting effects on a person’s psyche.
