No relationship is perfect; you must make allowances for your partner’s shortcomings just as they are understanding and tolerant of your flaws. That said, certain behaviors are unacceptable, and you should consider parting ways with your partner if they are unwilling to change.
What habits or behaviors should you not put up with in a relationship? What signs scream “Walk away!” and exactly when is enough enough in a relationship?
If you’re unsure when to break ties with the person you’ve given your heart to, here are 12 signs to know it’s time to end the relationship for your self-respect and peace of mind.
12 Clear Sings Enough Is Enough in a Relationship
1. The Relationship Involves Abusive Behavior
Abuse in any form is a no-no in a romantic relationship, whether emotional, physical, verbal, sexual, or financial. Psychologists refer to these patterns of behavior as domestic violence aimed at gaining or maintaining power unfairly over the other partner.
You are not safe if your partner abuses you, especially physically. Don’t try to fix the unhealthy relationship, and do not endure the abuse in the hope that your partner will change.
When is enough enough in a relationship? As soon as you notice abusive behavior, that’s when! Walk away from your abusive relationship and never look back if your partner is violent (physically or verbally), narcissistic, or unrepentantly manipulative.
2. You’re the Only One Making Sacrifices
Constantly bending backward to please your partner will eventually lead to feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment, no matter how much you love them. It also causes conflict.
Don’t take this the wrong way, though.
Compromises are normal when you love someone and essential for making a relationship work, as research shows.
However, it’s not fair if you are working hard on your relationship, but your partner isn’t willing to lift a finger. It is one of the clearest signs your partner isn’t prioritizing the relationship, and you should consider breaking things off with them.
3. Trust Is Lacking in the Relationship
A healthy, successful, and fulfilling romantic relationship is built on trust, and when it is lacking, the relationship may as well be non-existent.
It is best to end an unhappy relationship if you can’t trust your partner or they don’t trust you. Think about it: why should two people who can’t trust each other want to spend their lives together?
Some behaviors that can easily erode trust in a relationship include:
- Infidelity: Having romantic or sexual relationships with others while in a committed relationship.
- Deceit: Lying or withholding important information from a partner (such as covering up past relationships or financial information).
- Emotional betrayal: Sharing intimate information (like personal feelings, experiences, or confessions) with someone outside your relationship.
If trust in your relationship has fallen to pieces and all efforts at rebuilding it are just not working, it is usually best to go your separate ways.
4. You Secretly Wish to Break Things Off
It is normal to want to put on the brakes if a relationship is moving too fast for your liking. However, it’s a clear sign that enough is enough if you catch yourself fantasizing about how better things could be without your current partner.
Perhaps you’re still in the relationship because you’re too afraid to leave your partner. However, the longer you stay in a relationship that you loathe, the more you become frustrated with yourself and your partner, and pretty soon, it will start affecting other areas of your life.
Bottom line: don’t let fear stand in your way of finding true happiness, even if it means breaking ties with your current partner.
5. Communicating Is a Nightmare
No relationship can thrive when partners find it difficult to communicate. In fact, psychologists describe effective communication as the heart of any healthy relationship.
It might be time to walk away from the relationship if nearly every conversation degenerates into misunderstandings and fights.
Although you can solve most problems in a relationship, you need to be able to communicate healthily with your partner to do that.
Besides, how can you have meaningful conversations, express deep feelings, and develop intimacy if communication is always a nightmare?
6. Your Partner Disrespects You
Sometimes, the person you’re madly in love with will take you for granted. And you might do the same without even realizing it. This is especially the case in a long-term relationship when you both become too comfortable with each other.
Exactly when is enough enough in a relationship in this situation?
Here are a few clues:
- Your partner is quick to notice your faults but conveniently ignores the things you do right.
- They constantly criticize, admonish, or put you down.
- Nothing you do seems to matter because they don’t value you.
- They don’t believe in or support your dreams.
Being in a relationship with someone who doesn’t value you can be a nightmare, and it might be best to walk away if they are unwilling to change.
7. Your Partner Is Always Making Excuses for Their Bad Behavior
Many people mistake excuses for an apology ― offering plenty of explanations instead of taking responsibility.
I suggest seriously rethinking the relationship if your partner is:
- Always promise they won’t do something but still do it.
- Constantly say it’s difficult for them to give up an unhealthy habit.
- Keep shifting blame instead of being remorseful.
8. You Are Uncomfortable in the Relationship
Perhaps feeling uncomfortable in your relationship is one of the clearest signs that enough is enough.
Do you walk on eggshells around your partner? Does being in the relationship leave you feeling emotionally drained?
You should look deeper into how the unhealthy relationship affects you and decide if it is worth staying in the relationship or going your separate ways.
Here’s another clue to know it’s time to end things.
If you can’t pursue your interests, chase your dreams, and just be yourself because you are in a relationship, you should seriously consider walking away. You shouldn’t lose yourself to just be with someone you love.
9. There Are Recurring Infidelity Issues
No one is perfect, not even you, and definitely not your partner. But that’s not an excuse to cheat or flirt with other people.
It’s up to you to stay or walk away from the relationship if your partner has cheated once. However, you should consider parting ways with your partner if infidelity is a recurring issue.
Remember, cheating isn’t just about sleeping with someone else. Instead, it is about betraying trust, disregarding the other person’s feelings, and not honoring your relationship.
10. Your Partner Has Lost Interest in You
You don’t want to force yourself on anyone, regardless of how deeply you love them. If they aren’t showing interest in you, it is a clear sign you should move on with your life and preserve your self-respect rather than holding onto a dead relationship.
How do you know your partner has lost interest in you? Here are a few indicators:
- They are no longer passionate about you.
- They prefer to be alone or with someone else instead of spending quality time with you.
- They don’t seem to include you in their plans for the future.
11. You No Longer Feel an Emotional Connection to Your Partner
While physical attraction or intimacy is important in romantic relationships, you need to connect with your partner on a deeper level to have a healthy and satisfying relationship.
And by deeper connection, I mean emotional connection ― understanding each other’s needs, feelings, and desires and being able to freely and honestly share these emotions.
If this is lacking in your relationship, it is a sign that enough is enough, and you need to call it quits.
12. You Don’t Share the Same Values
Building a long-lasting relationship with someone is hard if you have completely different values, goals, and interests, no matter how much you love them.
Being with someone goes beyond feelings; you must be compatible to enjoy being with each other. That’s to say, your core values, beliefs, and aspirations must align. Anything short of this will make it difficult for both of you to coexist happily.
Of course, small adjustments and compromises may work in some cases, but it is usually best to part ways when neither of you can shift grounds on major differences.
Final Thoughts
When is enough enough in a relationship? The signs above are major indicators, and you might want to rethink being with your partner if one or more of them is a constant feature in your relationship.
Indeed, walking away from a relationship isn’t always easy. But sometimes, it is your best move to preserve your sanity and dignity.
And when you eventually end a relationship, take some time to heal before starting another one, especially if you broke things off with a toxic partner.
If you’ve just ended a toxic relationship, I strongly recommend reading and applying the suggestions in my guide on healing from a toxic relationship.
