Conflicts and disagreements are a common part of any relationship. But when to know if your marriage is surpassing the line of toxicity? In this article, we have highlighted 10 signs of a toxic marriage for you to reflect on.
Let’s get into it.
1. Often feel shushed by your partner
In a bad marriage you often find yourself being hushed by your partner. And when you do try to voice your thoughts and ideas, there is a high chance that it gets overlooked. Your partner is always quick to disregard your opinion and often forces their views on you. A genuine and caring partner is respectable and attentive to your various notions. So if your partner disregards your opinions, then there is a chance you are stuck in a bad relationship.
2. Communicating with your partner feels like a chore
Communicating and actively listening to your partner’s needs and feelings is a great way to resolve any issues that you are facing in your relationship. Therefore, if you are finding it hard to have a heart-to-heart with your partner, then it’s a warning sign that your marriage is on a brink of toxicity. Open communication also shows that your partner cares about how you are feeling and is willing to make you feel secure in your relationship. Hence, if there is a lack of communication in your marriage then you might want to rethink your decision.
3. You are the only one canoeing the boat of your relationship
Being supported by your partner is a sign of emotional intimacy. If you see that your partner is nonchalant about your struggles. And is not taking responsibility for the relationship then there is a high chance you are stuck in a toxic loop. An unsupportive partner can affect your self-esteem and often leads to various mental health issues as well. It is also considered one of the early signs of an awful marriage.
4. Your partner controls the remote of your life
Do you find yourself with no control over your day-to-day decisions? Initial cues of an unhealthy marriage is being controlled by your partner in every possible way. It may seem like care at the start. But it is nothing but pure narcissism. Having no say in how you prefer to live your life and being completely restrained by your partner can damage your self-esteem beyond repair. So if you find yourself being powerless around your partner then it is because you are stuck in a crappy marriage.
5. He/she breathing down your neck 24/7
Being possessive to a certain degree is acceptable to keep your relationship healthy. But there is a thin line between being jealous and being paranoid. If your partner is constantly keeping tabs on your every move then it is a sign of insecurity. Reporting your every move and whereabouts to your partner is suffocating and you may feel like you have no freedom in your relationship. If you feel suffocated in your marriage then it is a wakeup call.
6. Lack of cheering. When it comes to you
It is pretty common in miserable marriages to experience sabotaging behavior from your partner. It often happens when you are trying to work on self-improvement. And instead of supporting you, your partner belittles or mocks your efforts. This kind of behavior is deeply rooted in their insecurity and is often seen in people with narcissistic personalities. It is because they fear seeing their partner above them, which is exactly why they engage in belittling you.
7. Use you as their scapegoat
It is a common trait in toxic marriages. Mentally unhealthy partners often blame their spouses for any sort of failure they encounter either in their personal life or in their relationships. It leads to resentment which ultimately creates distance between two people. Resenting your partner also minimizes sexual and emotional intimacy, which results in an unsatisfactory marriage. If you see that your partner often blames you for any shortcomings then it is a hint of mistreatment.
8. Financial splurging is common
In a marriage, it is common that you share your financial responsibility. Often couples get a joint bank account for that matter. But in certain cases, your significant other gets reckless in their financial spending. In most cases, they do not even take you in the loop and continue with the reckless spending. If you are facing the same situation in your matrimony then I have got some bad news for you.
9. Walking on eggshells, all the time
It is one of the stressful aspects of a manipulative relationship, you are constantly afraid and extremely vigilant of your every step in the fear that you might offend your partner. Your mate’s frequent outbursts have become normal in your relationship. Which is why you tend to avoid doing anything that might offend your spouse. You often find yourself in a repetitive loop of overthinking before saying or doing anything around them. If you experience the feeling often then your marriage is toxic and unhealthy.
10. Glorifying your marriage around your friends
It is one of the common signs of an abusive marriage. An abused partner often reassures themselves constantly that their partner is not bad and they love them dearly. You also often find yourself talking highly of your spouse and your relationship with your peers. It is one of the defense mechanisms that abused people use to make themselves feel better and remove the anxiety they feel in such a conflicting situation.
Conclusion:
Any unhealthy relationships are highly damaging to our self-esteem and a lot of mental health issues stem from them as well. Thus, being mindful of the relationships you are in, to protect your peace and sanity is extremely important. Identify the early signs of an abusive relationship. Have a sit down with your spouse to discuss what you are feeling. And if that does not work, then get help as soon as possible. We hope you found our article helpful.
