For a healthy bond: 5 toxic relationship behaviours you need to be wary about

Sometimes relationships are not a smooth ride. They can be toxic, affecting our mental health and make us feel unwanted. So, how can we prevent ourselves from getting into unhealthy relationships? Identifying toxic behaviours is one way.

Here’s a list of such behaviours to help you prevent getting into unhealthy relationships or bid goodbye to one, with the help of experts.

1) Scrutiny

When one of the partners indulges in constant critiquing of the other partner, it creates a toxic one-sided relationship. The problem arises as that partner criticises the person not the behaviour. They never indulge in name calling but criticise beliefs, looks and thoughts.

Rather than suggesting how to improve bad habits, they find reasons to pull you down. The reason is low self-esteem and desire to control the partner. If your partner is a scrutinizer, then you ought to reconsider your relationship.

2) Passive aggressiveness

Passive aggressors are sly masters who never tell the crux of the issue bothering them, instead drop hints through their sarcasm, and give backhanded compliments. As clarity in communication is the bedrock of a solid relationship, its absence creates negativity. The other partners are left to guess what they did wrong. Passive-aggressors act this way to avoid direct confrontation.

3) Self-absorbedness

For self-absorbed ones, the world revolves around them. They place their interests above all, resulting in a one-sided relationships lacking in empathy. If the needs are not met, they readily quit the relationship, leaving their partners unsatisfied. These partners often have fragile self-esteems and a thin skin. Relationship is a two way street not one.

4) Stone-walling

They are known as brick and stones because communicating with them is like talking to a wall as there is no response. If there is any issue in the relationship, they evade by not responding at all. This can leave the partner feeling guilty, always thinking ‘is this my fault or not’. They also act distant and cold when something goes wrong.

5) Gossiping

The sanctity of a relationship is, whatever happens between the partners stays between them. Gossip-mongers tend to talk about their partners behind their back leading to a lack of trust. They can leave the partner feeling wary as they can’t approach them. They have insecurity issues leading to shaky relationship.

Inputs by relationship expert Shivani Misri Sadhoo and psychologist Pulkit Sharma