13 Behaviors that Destroy Relationships

There are 13 behaviors that destroy relationships and can easily creep into your relationship over time. I sure you came name a few others but these seem to fairly common.

1. Nagging and Criticism: Criticizing your partner or doing something that causes them to feel attacked, like nagging, can make them feel resentful and distant. Use your own voice to speak up and learn ways to share feedback without attacking the other person so you share in a constructive manner to help them grow.

2. Passive Aggressive Behavior: Passive aggressive behavior, like sulking or being sarcastic, can make your partner feel unimportant and unsupported. It is a way to express negative feelings indirectly and show passive hostility.

3. Lying: Lying in a relationship can build up hostility and mistrust, damaging your relationship in the long run. Whether they are spoken or omitted lies don’t do it.

4. Score Keeping: Another behavior destructive to a relationship is trying to “keep track” of who’s done what in a relationship can foster feelings of resentment, competition, and unease. It is kind of a one-upmanship. This will put your relationship in a race to the bottom and disaster.

5. Publicly Humiliating Your Partner: Humiliating your partner in public, especially in front of friends or family, can make them feel embarrassed and can create a sense of mistrust and insecurity. Making the other person look bad in front of others, even friends or family is a big no, no. This is a big form of disrespect to most men. It is one of the behaviors that destroy relationships for men.

6. Disrespect: Showing a lack of respect for your partner’s opinions and feelings can make them feel unappreciated and demeaned. This behavior can sabatoge your love life.

Communication Behaviors

The following behaviors are like pouring gasoline on a fire. Each is a method of communication. Successful relationships are those couples who learn how to communicate their needs in a constructive and intimate manner. So beware of these listed below.

7. Lack of Affection and Sex: A lack of affection and sex can make your partner feel unwanted, unattractive, and unloved. Withdrawal affection or sex (if you are sexually involved) spells trouble. This is the ultimate form of rejection since presumably in most monogamous relationship being committed to each other is part of the expectation. Sex is a biggie and is one of the critical behaviors that destroy relationships more often that you would think.

8. Lack of Open Communication: Not talking openly and honestly with your partner can create misunderstandings, leaving both of you feeling unsatisfied. Not sharing your feelings or opinions isn’t fair to the other person. Stonewalling is another tactic used to not communicate. Gottman and Silver identify the four destroyers to a good relationship. Known as the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. They are catastrophic to a healthy, thriving and loving relationship. The big four are criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling.

9. The Need to Be Right: Trying to always be right or win arguments can make your partner feel unheard and unimportant. Remember in your relationship you two are a team. The goal is to collaborate and cooperate to find common ground when possible– not prove the other person wrong.

10. Insecurity: Being needy or insecure can make your partner feel drained and overwhelmed, leaving them feeling disconnected. While we all have our insecure moments, being in a relationship with someone that you have to constantly prove your love or that you are not cheating is exhausting.

The Triple Threat Behaviors

While each of the behaviors is destructive to your romantic relationships, The remaining three really pushes the relationship to the brink of disaster.

11. Lack of Boundaries: Not setting clear boundaries can lead to confusion and a lack of trust in the relationship. Thriving and loving relationships have boundaries and they should be respected. This builds trust when you honor someones limits.

12. Emotional Blackmail: Describes a style of manipulation. It is when someone uses your emotional connection to them as a way to persuade or control your behavior in order to have things their way. Sometimes they become abusive to get what they want.

13. Manipulation

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13 Behaviors that Destroy Relationships

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Discover behaviors that destroy relationships. Prevent your relationship from unraveling & creating unnecessary heartbreak. Stop criticizing each other among other things...