6 Signs To Tell of an Abusive Relationship

The thing is, when it comes to the signs of an abusive relationship, most people don’t recognize it until things get physical. Once something physical happens, then it’s clear what’s going on. But abuse can take on various forms, not just physical.

You don’t want to recognize abuse once it gets to a physical level. You want to recognize it the minute you see the first sign. That was my mistake.

# You’re always apologizing

But you don’t really know what you’re apologizing for. In fact, you haven’t done anything wrong. People in abused relationships will often apologize because they’re either scared to start an argument or have become so used to being blamed for everything. Apologizing becomes second-nature.

# You’ve pulled away from friends and family

In the beginning, you probably won’t notice this happening because when you’re in love, you want to spend all your time with your partner. But eventually, you make time to see your friends and family. If your partner is pushing you to end relationships and distance yourself from family, end this relationship.

# They punish you

This doesn’t mean they spank you or lock you up in your room *if that does happen, it is abusive behavior*. But usually, abusers will punish their partners by withholding something of meaning from their partners. This can be money or affection. By withholding these things, they make their partner have to work for it. And that is sick.

# You need permission for everything

Listen, I like to tell my partner what I’m up to. There’s nothing wrong with that. But there’s a difference between letting them know what you’re doing and receiving permission for plans. If you must ask for permission before committing to plans, then that’s a red flag.

# They always change plans

Though they like to tell you it’s a “surprise,” they’re always changing plans last minute. Though it sounds sweet in the beginning, this is them exerting their control over the relationship. These changes don’t come with any discussion between you, they make the decision, and you must follow.

# They don’t support you

Maybe you just graduated from university at the top of your class or received a job promotion. Those are amazing achievements and something you should be proud of. But your partner doesn’t celebrate those with you. Instead, they make degrading comments and insult your strengths. But this is their insecurity. They can’t handle being with someone who achieves more than them.