What we consider to be red flags in relationships can evolve. Sometimes you get a warning sign, either by someone’s words or actions, that they’re not ready for a relationship or not ready for a relationship with you.
It is common to miss these red flags in relationships when you’re blinded by love, after all, you met someone who’s simply charming, you’re excited about this person and want to be with them so you begin dating, spending more and more time together.
Everything is going great and you begin to feel like nothing could go wrong. All of a sudden, your new partner slips into certain “bad habits” here and there, you can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.
Those bad habits are considered red flags in relationships, and the red flags either stand as a sign for you to quit the relationship and walk away or use a different approach towards the relationship and try to change your partner though difficult in some cases.
But some people turn a blind eye to these red flags in relationships because they are blinded by love or scared of being alone as the case may be. This is why some relationship experts advise it’s best to find someone who wants you just as much as you want them before embarking on a relationship.
That being said, we have compiled a list of red flags in relationships you should never ignore to save yourself from heartbreak and end up walking down the aisle with the wrong partner.
Here Is A List Of 10 Red Flags In Relationships You Should Never Ignore
1. Anger Management Issues And Mood Swings
If you feel unsafe in any way around people with anger management issues and unnecessary mood swings then run as fast as you can because anger can be destructive most times. A lot of people mistake emotional and physical abuse for other things but the fact remains that it is almost impossible to change them.
If your partner shifts from delighted to depressed in seconds, understand that a psychological imbalance exists. And if he or she gets angry over everything, know that this anger may spill onto you one day and over time you find yourself turning into something that you’re not. Definitely a red flag, run for your life.
2. Don’t Compromise
If you find yourself always giving in to your partner because they never compromise, that’s a giant red flag. A couple that can’t compromise for anything, not even for their partner can’t strive. A person’s (in)ability to compromise quickly becomes evident and helps to build a better relationship. Your partner should compromise freely when it comes to making decisions that will benefit both of you, and you should also do the same.
Taking turns giving in to each other means that both of you are willing to sacrifice for the relationship to make it work. The moment your spouse stops compromising in a relationship or never compromises at all is one of the signs of red flags in relationships you should never ignore and you should stay clear of such a person.
3. Jealousy And Over Controlling
Some jealously here and there can be harmless, and it is pretty common in a relationship. But if your partner starts to become over-possessive, trying to control your life, your plans, what you wear, who you hang out with, or isolates you from your friends and family, is a serious sign of emotional abuse and is one of the red flags in relationships you should never ignore if you don’t want your heart Broken in a Relationship.
Controlling people are very hard to deal with, they try to control everything in your life the way they think it should be. You don’t need that, you should be able to make decisions for yourself, what to do or who to be friends with.
4. Spending Too Much Time With You
Wanting to spend so much time together may seem like a good thing, but if your partner always spends every waking moment with you and otherwise get anxious about where you are then it may be a sign of insecurity and also one of the red flags in relationships you should never ignore.
They either have low self-esteem and are scared that you’ll leave them, or derive all their happiness from you. Either way, they’re not ready for a relationship and they’ll end up suffocating you as the case may be.
Space in a relationship is a good thing. It allows you and your partner to maintain your individuality and grow.
5. Never Stop Talking About Their Past Relationships
It is normal for partners to talk about past relationships because we learn what our partners have been through and how they’ve grown as a result, but if your partner can’t stop talking about their exes, and especially the things they used to do in bed, then it is clear they have no respect for you.
And if they keep mentioning a particular ex over and over again, that could be a sign that they have not yet gotten over their ex and that simply is another red flag in relationships you should never ignore.
6. Don’t Introduce You To Their Family And Friends
Some partners may want to take things slow and delay the whole idea of meeting family and friends which is in some cases understandable since it’s a big step to take in a relationship.
But if you’ve been dating for more than 2 years and you’ve never met your partner’s family or friend, then you should be getting the signal that it is a red flag and should not be ignored.
It could mean that you are a side-piece or worst-case scenario, they could feel embarrassed by you and would just want to keep you a secret.
7. Don’t Communicate
Communication is one of the keys to building a strong relationship. Since it is impossible for a couple to not have differences and argue, those arguments can only be resolved through communication and the way you handle these differences matters a lot.
If your partner shuts down and acts passive-aggressively instead of talking things through like an adult, that’s a red flag.
Disagreements are part of any healthy relationship. Erika Ettin, a dating coach once said,
“In a good relationship, a couple can and will talk through issues, listening to the other person’s point of view and expressing his or her own. No one needs to win or lose. It’s about expressing how something makes you feel and being heard. Communication is key.”
8. Always Dismiss And Criticise You
If your partner constantly insults, criticises, degrades or dismisses you, this means that they take pleasure in belittling you and are not considerate of your feelings. When you constantly give in to keep the peace, then you’re never going to be happy. You’ll always feel small and worthless before your partner and they’ll keep disregarding you.
It is best to find a partner who makes you feel great about yourself instead because criticising and dismissing a partner in a relationship instead of embracing them is absolutely a red flag in relationships that should not be ignored.
9. Trust Issues
Just like communication, trust is also the bedrock of any healthy relationship. A major sign of an unstable relationship is when partners, friends, colleagues, or family members distrust you. Of course. We all have doubts sometimes, but they shouldn’t stop us from trusting the people in our lives to do the right thing. Healthy relationships require trust on both sides and not trusting your partner is simply a red flag.
10. Selfishness And Narcissistic
A person that always thinks they are better than everyone else including their partner should be looked out for. Being emotionally involved with a narcissistic, ego-driven person can be exhausting because they put their needs first no matter what and they would rather die than admit their own mistakes.
Such people always require attention 24/7 but will never give back in return and won’t even give you time to catch a break for yourself. It’s also really bad if they refer to all their exes as “crazy” or never admit that they could have had a hand in their past relationships that weren’t successful and that means they will always blame you if anything goes wrong. A red flag you should never ignore.
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Conclusion
As mentioned above, if your partner is abusive in any way or puts you in danger, you should end the relationship. Since that is a sign for you to leave the relationship while you still can before you get hurt. But with some of the less severe red flags, it can be hard to know whether or not you should address it with your partner or just run.
Experts suggest a few steps to take to assess if some red flags are something that can be worked through. If you notice something that is wrong or even makes you feel uncomfortable, do not ignore it. It’s your mind’s way of flagging the issue. It’s easier said than done, of course. Sometimes we ignore red flags in a relationship because we want to make it work, or perhaps we’re so caught up in the relationship that we let them slip by.
But the truth is red flags are opportunities for us to pause, assess the situation and decide if we should continue investing our time in this person.
