5 Habits That Are Likely To Push A Partner Away

Written by Bency Sebastian  • 

Relationships are complicated when there is a lack of mutual understanding. What is important for a relationship to function smoothly is an emotional connection, lack of which will lead to separation eventually. For a relationship to work, it is important that every couple communicates what they feel instead of expecting their partner to understand. Certain behaviors can give room to emotional distance between you and your partner which can deter your relationship. It is important to understand these habits and change them before it is too late to save your relationship. The key factor here is the frequency with which the behavior is repeated. The problem arises when this becomes a behavioral pattern and your partner has to deal with it on a daily basis. So let us quickly dive into the five types of habits that are likely to push your significant other away.

1. Too Much Criticism

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If the golden ratio of communication is followed in a relationship, the world would be a better place. What it says is that 80 percent of what you say should be positive or neutral and only 20 percent should be negative. If everyone followed this rule, wouldn’t it help your relationship nourish? Alas, one can only dream. Because in many relationships, this ratio is almost opposite which causes a lot of friction. Too often when you are overly critical of everything your partner does rather than appreciating their efforts (however small it may be), your partner ends up feeling like they can never get anything right. This also stems from the fact that your expectations are a little too high about how you want your partner to be instead of accepting them for who they are. After a point, they start to feel like it is pointless to make an effort because it will never be appreciated and it all goes downhill when they begin to emotionally drift away.

2. Inability To Express Emotions

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This is one of those times when mutual understanding comes into play. You would have noticed that your partner does not have the ability to express their emotional needs, especially in an argument and so you have an advantage in an argument or duel to win, even when they are in the right. Your partner tends to feel unheard and stuck because they cannot express their feelings and eventually give up. They become somewhat closed off and withdrawn leading to an emotional distance between the two of you.

3. Lack Of Empathy

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When your partner is in emotional distress, it is your duty to stay by their side and help them through it. Sometimes, a partner fails to display compassion and this takes a toll on the relationship. Who else will your partner count on when they need emotional strength and backup? Your partner is likely to understand if this happens once in a while. However, such repeated behavior destroys your partner’s belief in you and they start to look for that support somewhere else. It is unfair on your part to refuse to deal with your partner’s emotional needs. After all, you have built a relationship together based on love, companionship, and mutual understanding.

4. Ignoring Important Issues

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Yes, we did cover this habit of complaining too often. But that does not mean that you ignore your partner’s important complaints. There are instances when your partner expresses meaningful concerns about being unhappy or dissatisfied about a certain behavior or dynamic in your relationship but you pay no heed. Repeatedly doing so causes your partner to feel dejected and unheard. In a relationship, this usually happens when one of the partners raises their concern about being unhappy or dissatisfied in bed. This is not something that you should take lightly because intimacy is an important aspect of being in a relationship. Constantly ignoring your partner’s needs leads to them feeling neglected and frustrated by the lack of intimacy and it becomes a little too late by then.

5. Lack Of Attention

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This is an old one in the book of relationships. With couples pursuing jobs and living busy lives, it becomes essential to make time to spend with one another. Small daily routines like having dinner together, watching a movie, setting time aside to go on a date together are important to keep the fire burning in your relationship. Granted that both of you have busy lives, but it is necessary to devote time to appreciate each other because as human beings, we all need attention. Being attentive to your partner is the core of any successful relationship and lack of it tends to create a distance between the two of you.

As much as understanding your partner is important in a relationship, it is also equally important to understand who you are when in a relationship. After all, that’s what a relationship is – two people who bring out the best in each other and grow together. Do you identify with any of these habits? Let us know if you agree with our list in the comments below.

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