Unhealthy and abusive relationships are far more common than most people realize. A recent study found that nearly 33% of Americans will be involved in at least one toxic relationship in their lives. In most cases, there will be tons of warning signs in the beginning phases of a bad relationship. The worst mistake you can make when these signs surface is ignoring them.
Trusting your gut instinct can result in becoming entangled in a relationship with a person who is narcissistic and toxic. This is why you need to take action as soon as warning signs surface. Here are some relationship red flags you definitely need to pay attention to.
Constantly Badmouthing Past Relationships
There are a number of reasons why relationships don’t work out. In most cases, adults can put their differences aside and dissolve a relationship without toxicity. However, a narcissist will not be able to let go of the fact that a past relationship didn’t work out. This will usually surface in their new relationships because they will constantly badmouth their past boyfriends or girlfriends.
You need to realize that if a person has something negative to say about all of their past relationships, it could be an indication that they are the problem. If they label every one of their exes as “crazy” or “dysfunctional,” you need to be wary of dating this person. In most cases, this is an indication that they are a toxic person and that they will be nothing but trouble.
Overly-Critical Out of the Gate
During your first few dates with a potential romantic interest, you can get a feel for what they are really like. In most cases, a person will be on their best behavior on the first date. However, this veneer can start to wear off after date three or four. Is a new romantic interest being overly critical of your life choices, career, weight or other touchy subjects? If you answered yes, then you need to realize this is a big red flag.
A person that is overly critical of your right out of the gate will only get worse as time goes by. The last thing you want is for your self-confidence and mental health to take a hit by dating a person with this trait. This is why you need to leave a relationship if the person is unfairly critical of you.
Your Friends and Family Members Don’t Like Your New Romantic Interest
The average person has a group of trusted friends and family members they can rely on for emotional support. Letting a new romantic interest meet these important people is a big step. If one or more of the people in your inner circle get a bad feeling from the person you are currently in a relationship with; you need to take their feedback seriously. In some cases, these people detect a character flaw in a new romantic interest before you do. Listening to them can save you a world of hurt and emotional anguish.
If you have detected one or more of the red flags mentioned in this article, you need to take action and get away from your new romantic interest.
