Neglecting our partner’s less-than-perfect traits is something we all do when we genuinely want a romantic relationship to work. You may find yourself defending their inappropriate actions or completely ignoring warning signs that they might not be a good, caring long-term partner. However, if you ignore any of these warning signs, it could endanger you in the future. In this article, we will share some of the less obvious red flags that people in relationships should pay more attention to.

(1) LOVE BOMBING

Love bombing is one of the ways people use to gain control over a new relationship quickly, and this behaviour is more manipulative than romantic. When a new partner asks for a commitment practically right away after you’ve met, that’s one of the most blatant indications of love bombing. Before the target even recognises what is happening, love bombing can escalate into control and manipulation. Even after a single date or a brief acquaintance, love bombers want you to feel like you are always in their thoughts and on their mind. This manifests itself most frequently as constant communication through emails, social media posts, conversations, or texts. They often disrespect personal space as well. You can feel under pressure to do things that make you uncomfortable, or they may want you to abandon everything for them. It feels great to be the target of someone’s love, attention, and desire at first, so people often overlook warning signs like that, but it’s a severe red flag that could lead to a disaster.

(2) BADMOUTHING THEIR EXES

A warning sign that your spouse hasn’t thought critically about how their actions affected the breakdown of their past relationships is if they complain negatively about all of their ex-partners. Nobody’s actions alone cause a relationship to terminate, so if your spouse acts like a victim of their ex-partners, they will probably play the victim in their relationship with you eventually.

(3) REFUSING TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR FAMILY

One red flag people tend to overlook is when you are always making excuses for why your partner is never free to attend events and social functions in your social, family, and professional life. If your partner is guilty of this, you both might need to have an honest conversation about it.

 

(4) HAVING ISSUES WITH APOLOGISING

One sign of maturity is being able to apologise. It shows how accountable we are and how well we can admit our mistakes. Having a partner who finds it hard to apologise is a red flag that shouldn’t be overlooked. Ultimately, your relationship will suffer if you are the only one owning up to mistakes.

 

(5) WEIRDLY POSSESSIVE AND OBSESSIVE WITH THEIR PHONE

There is a problem in the relationship if your partner spends all of their time with their phone or other devices. A partner who exhibits excessive phone possessiveness is a more subdued reason for worry. They may have something to hide if, for instance, you ask to borrow their phone in case yours runs out of battery power, and they refuse to give it to you without first seeing the screen.

(6) REFUSING TO RESPECT YOUR BOUNDARIES

Do you and your significant other feel respected in terms of time, physical space, and relationships? Do you feel uncomfortable with sexual matters in the relationship? Does your relationship make you inconsistent with work or disapprove of friends and family? Early in a relationship, many people attribute boundary breaches to passion; nevertheless, persistent overstepping can indicate a disrespectful trend. Set your limits and the extent to which you are willing to compromise early on, and then keep to it. Violations that occur frequently are not good.

CONCLUSION

While not all the items on this list are absolute deal-breakers, they are worth considering and discussing with your partner. Don’t ignore relationship red flags and hope they go away on their own. Instead, take action. Asking yourself why it affects you, expressing your worries to your spouse, and deciding whether to work through it or end the relationship are all effective ways to confront it head-on.

 

Dorcas Akintoye
+ posts

Dorcas Akintoye is a versatile writer with a passion for beauty, fashion, relationships, and culinary delight. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she adds a touch of elegance to every topic she explores. She is a writer at THEWILL DOWNTOWN.