No relationship is perfect. You and your partner are flawed humans and slipping up every now and again is okay.
You get angry, say something you don’t mean, and hopefully at the end of it you apologize and try to do better.
However, there are those who treat their partners in ways that are seriously problematic which ends up making the relationship toxic.
Toxic behaviors, are red flags. A toxic relationship can be draining mentally, emotionally and physically. But one of the terrifying things about these relationships is that it can be tricky to spot the warning signs – and, let’s be honest, sometimes we ignore them.
THE RELATIONSHIP SCORECARD
The “keeping score” phenomenon is when someone you’re dating continues to blame you for past mistakes you made in the relationship. If both people in the relationship do this, then the relationship is heading for the rocks. Unconsciously, it becomes a battle to see who has screwed up the most over the months or years, and therefore who owes the other one more. This is a NO-NO and it should be kicked out with immediate effect.
DROPPING “HINTS” AND OTHER PASSIVE-AGGRESSION
Many partners are guilty of this. Instead of stating a desire or thought overtly, your partner tries to nudge you in the right direction of figuring it out yourself. Instead of saying what’s actually upsetting you, you find small and petty ways to piss your partner off so you’ll then feel justified in complaining to them. Why not state your feelings and desires openly. And make it clear that the other person is not necessarily responsible or obligated to them but that you’d love to have their support. If they love you, they’ll almost always be able to give it. If we are used to dropping hint and other passive aggression, it shows that you two are not comfortable communicating openly and clearly with one another. So do away with it already!
SHOLDING THE RELATIONSHIP HOSTAGE
When one person has a simple criticism or complaint and blackmails the other person by threatening the the relationship. For instance, if someone feels like you’ve been cold to them, instead of saying, “I feel like you’re being cold sometimes,” they will say, “I can’t date someone who is cold to me all of the time.”
In otherwords, It’s emotional blackmail and it creates loads of unnecessary drama. Every minor hiccup in the flow of the relationship results in a perceived commitment crisis. It’s crucial for both people in a relationship to know that negative thoughts and feelings can be communicated safely to one another without it threatening the relationship itself. Otherwise, people will suppress their true thoughts and feelings which lead to an environment of distrust and manipulation. Let it go
By Uche Solomon