7 Major Signs of Disrespect in a Relationship

For many people, their first serious relationship is full of mistakes. You learn lessons as you become more experienced in love, but at some point, you might experience a lack of respect in a relationship. We put up with things we shouldn’t when we’re young or lacking in self-confidence. But, it’s important to know the signs of disrespect in a relationship so you can either try to fix it, or get out before things get worse.

You might think that constant arguments are about passion, but sometimes it’s about something else. If someone isn’t showing you respect, you’ll feel it on some level, even if you don’t notice it directly. It will slowly drag you down and make you feel far less than you’re worth.

A healthy relationship is built on mutual respect, and without mutual respect, it’s doomed to fail.

# The relationship just doesn’t feel good

We know this sounds simple, but when you’re in a disrespectful relationship, you never feel truly happy. There are happy moments, but more often than not, there’s a lot of yelling, screaming, and crying. Those small happy moments don’t outweigh the pain that’s filling the relationship.

# Your partner doesn’t listen to you

When you talk to your partner, you feel like you’re talking to a wall. They’re not actively listening to you. Instead, they grunt or make the minimal effort to show they’re engaged, but you know they’re not. If your partner is showing zero interest when you talk to them, this is a sign of disrespect.

# You’re not a priority

When you’re in a healthy relationship, both partners commit to making each other a priority. They put each other first. This is the ultimate sign of respect. But if your partner spends more time with their friends or at work, it shows they’re not fully invested in the relationship. If they did respect you, the lack of time they spend with you would bother them.

# They try to hurt your feelings

If your partner is trying to hurt you purposely, not only is this very disrespectful, but it’s also highly abusive. You should never want to hurt the person you care for. This can also be a form of manipulation. Narcissists use it very successfully to erode away at self-confidence, so the person is reliant upon them in the end.

# They don’t keep their word

Who else can you trust if not your partner? When our partner tells us that they’re going to do something, we expect them to follow through on their word. This is only normal. But your partner routinely makes promises and never follows through. This shows you they don’t respect you, and the relationship isn’t a priority for them.

# They lie to you

These lies don’t need to be big ones. They can be small, insignificant lies. But the point is, why lie to your partner about small, stupid things? If they’re lying to you about small things, it shows you they’re not concerned whether you know the truth or not. And if that happens, well, who knows what they’re capable of hiding from you.

# They don’t respect your boundaries

Everyone has their own personal boundaries. And with time, you learn what your partner likes and doesn’t like. If you respect your partner, you don’t cross their personal boundaries. But if there’s a lack of disrespect, those boundaries don’t matter, and your partner will push their limits to make you feel uncomfortable.

# They talk down to you

We all tease each other and crack jokes if something funny happens, but never with the intent to put someone down. However, does your partner routinely use language that makes you feel small? Calling you “idiot,” “stupid,” or “a dumbass,” these are all words that are used to emotionally squash someone and is one of the clearest signs of disrespect in a relationship.