Unhealthy Relationships: How to Recognize Them in Marriage and Dating

We all want love to feel good — steady, supportive, and safe. However, sometimes what we think is love can quietly evolve into something unhealthy. Whether you’re dating or already married, it’s important to recognize the signs so you don’t lose yourself along the way.

What Does an Unhealthy Relationship Look Like?

It’s not always the big, dramatic blowups. Often, it’s the slow drip: feeling dismissed when you share your thoughts, being criticized under the guise of “jokes,” or constantly walking on eggshells. Over time, these patterns erode your confidence and peace.

Red Flags to Watch For

• Control disguised as love: They want to know your whereabouts at all times or decide who you can see.

• Gaslighting: Making you feel like you’re crazy or overreacting.

• Isolation: Gradually pulling you away from your support system.

• Unequal effort: You’re putting in more while they keep taking.

• Fear: You hold back your true feelings out of fear of how they’ll react.

  
  

Dating vs. Marriage — Recognizing the Signs

In dating, red flags often appear as jealousy, rushing into commitment, or excessive attention that can turn into possessiveness. In marriage, these may manifest as financial control, shutting down communication, or ignoring emotional needs.

The hard part? Long-term relationships can normalize these behaviors, making them seem like “just the way it is.”

Why We Stay Longer Than We Should

Leaving is never easy. Maybe you cling to the good days or hope they’ll change eventually. Maybe you’ve built a life together, and untangling it feels impossible. I get it. But remember, love should never come at the expense of your worth.

What Healthy Love Looks Like

The difference is clear when you see it: you feel safe speaking your mind.- Respect is mutual, not conditional.- Both partners show up and take responsibility.- Encouragement, kindness, and peace are standard, not the exception.

If you’re questioning your relationship, that’s a sign. Trust that little voice inside you. You deserve a love that feels like a partnership, not a battlefield.

Let's Dish:

Have you ever ignored red flags because you wanted so badly for things to work?

What do you wish you had noticed earlier?