11 Awful Things That Ruin a Perfectly Good Relationship

You may have tried everything to have a good relationship with your partner, and consequently, you have the perfect relationship.

But at times you’d feel that the passion and energy your love contained at the beginning of the relationship has started to fade.

After being in a relationship for many years, you’d probably start to feel bored, or the conflicts, relationship habits, patterns, and behavior are taking a toll on you or your partner.

In that case, it’s better to take a step back, take stock of things, and avoid being in the doldrums.

The first step in that direction is to recognize the signs of a fading relationship before burning all chances of a happy relationship to the ground.

Here are some of the things that would ruin a perfectly good relationship: 

1. Holding your partner responsible for the mistakes of others

This is one of the things that answers how to ruin a relationship.

You start comparing this relationship with all the terrible ones you had previously. You become bitterly rude. You’d feel that you’re exceeding limits, but can’t stop yourself from experiencing constant stress associated with the relationship. In this way, your partner starts having the notion that you don’t want to continue.

2. Not sharing expectations

Destroying relationships on purpose revolves around not sharing anything with your partner.

You stop feeling the inclination to please your partner. Hiding everything from yourself is one of the most surefire ways to ruin a perfectly good relationship. To have a better idea, read the experts who have explained the importance of sharing expectations with your partner.

3. Avoiding communication

If someone wants to ruin a perfectly good relationship, then they would avoid any contact with their partner as much as possible.

Not replying to their texts.

Using plenty of sarcasm and hateful comments.

This would prove to be so impactful that there would be a radical difference in a very short period. This again is one of the best ways to ruin a relationship.

Experts have explained the importance of communication in a relationship. Lack of it will sound the death knell for any relationship.

4. Crossing the limits

Those on the road to ruin a perfectly good relationship don’t care about being within limits anymore. For example, they do whatever their partner hates, violate boundaries, and don’t exercise discretion.

They start comparing their partner with others, predominantly in terms of being intelligent and beautiful. They overstep clearly defined boundaries and don’t respect personal spaces. 

5. Never apologizing

At times, you’d feel bad for your actions.

But for those who are hellbent on ending the relationship, they learn to control that hysteria, sidestep the guilt pangs, and get back on track to ending a good relationship. They never say sorry.

Apologies would prove to be a sign of weakness, and it would cause divergence from their goal.

They tell their partner that they never liked to say sorry as if that somehow justifies their awful behavior. They avoid taking responsibility for their mistakes. Relationship experts have proposed the prerequisites of apologising; however, those who have made the resolution to call it quits will ruin their perfectly good relationship by ignoring these in their behavior.

6. Indulging in fights and escalating them

If you want to ruin a perfectly good relationship, then indulge in minor fights and expand them to a greater level.

For those who have wrecked their relationship, dragging arguments and a callous onslaught of regular fights have become the top way of causing irreparable damage to a love relationship. 

7. Ignoring the partner

Ignorance is one of the fastest ways to ruin a perfectly good relationship.

It will invariably lead to ending a perfectly good relationship. When your partner is talking to you about a topic, and if you are phubbing them (or ignoring them, not acknowledging their viewpoint), you are on the fastest route to becoming an estranged couple.

Not listening or paying attention to your partner is a strong indication to your spouse that you don’t place a premium on the relationship. 

8. Being ungrateful

No matter what your partner has done for you, and no matter how much you like it, if you never say “thank you”, it’s a red flag.

Ungratefulness is what destroys a relationship.

For example, your partner took hours to cook your favorite meal, and it turned out to be very delicious as well, but you never expressed that you liked it. Also, you avoid admiring your partner.

These are signs that you are ruining a perfectly good relationship.

Dr. Jennifer Schulz, PhD in Psychology, explains,

Research has shown that when people perceive their partners as being grateful, it has a beneficial impact on the relationship. Expressing gratitude can be highly beneficial, and a lack of gratitude can have the opposite effect, eroding the quality of a relationship.

9. Mocking your partner in front of everyone

Imagine this scenario.

You plan a get-together of friends and family and start discussing your partner with a touch of sarcasm. You’d sound like a weirdo, but you have to do it. You pick one of your friends and start comparing your partner. Your partner would be quite shattered as they’d feel insulted, but that doesn’t alarm you.

If you have ever done something on the lines of the above situation, it is just a matter of time before you end up ruining a beautiful relationship.

Also watch: How to Avoid Common Relationship Mistakes

10. Always negating and arguing

Whatever your partner says, even if it’s true, you always negate.

You argue about the small stuff. For instance, your partner talks about the weather being so pleasant. But you feel the need to nag your partner and say the opposite of what they’ve said. 

You never apologize for your rude behavior. You mold a topic into a fight by being rude and dismissive. 

Dr. Schulz states,

It’s important to pick your battles, and constantly nitpicking and starting disagreements over issues that really aren’t important is a pretty sure way to ruin a relationship.

11. Never admire your partner

When you’re on the route to end a relationship, you often avoid praising your partner. No matter how good they look, you ignore them and never extol.

This would lead to making your partner feel that you’re done with the relationship and want to move on.

If you are doing any or all of the above, you are well on your way to sabotaging a relationship. Unless you are in a relationship with a dumpster fire, it is best to recognize the sure-fire signs of a relationship going downhill and work at resurrecting a healthy relationship with your partner.

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The Marriage.com Editorial Team is a group of experienced relationship writers, experts, and mental health professionals. We provide practical and research-backed advice on relationships. Our content is thoroughly reviewed by experts... Read more to ensure that we offer high-quality and reliable relationship advice. Read less