5 Signs You Are In A Suffocating Relationship

Romantic relationships can be difficult at times. Any relationship typically has a honeymoon phase where everything is hunky dory and rosy; once this phase passes, the troubles begin. This especially can be the case as you and your partner face life changes over a period of time. There are several things which can start making you feel frustrated and suffocated. It can be a needy partner who craves your attention, and leaves no room for friends or family. It can be a co-dependent relationship that demands all your time and energy. A stifling relationship can even turn toxic if your partner wants control over every part of your life.

However, romantic relationships shouldn't feel like a burden or heavy obligation. And you definitely shouldn't feel as if your relationship is suffocating you.Occasionally, your relationships might require some mediation, a little bit of trial and error, and a lot of communication to work things out.

Here are five signs which can be a red flag you'll notice if your relationship is suffocating you:

* Your partner is getting clingy and possessive

There are several instances which can flag that your partner is getting clingy and overly possessive about you. Your partner who texts you incessantly might make you feel stifled by the relationship.Your partner's incessant need to know where you are at all times. It's just not realistic or healthy to have your partner monitor your whereabouts at all times.Similar to the desire to know where you are at all times, another suffocating relationship behaviour is your partner demanding access to all your communication. Your partner might explain away their behaviour by saying they're that they're worried about you. However, if there is no consideration for how you are responding to their behaviour, it is a clear sign that your relationship is becoming suffocating

* Your partner gaslights you

You might face instances in your relationship where your partner flat-out denies saying things you definitely heard them say or denies doing things you definitely saw them do. Otherwise known as ‘Gaslighting’, it is another tactic a suffocating partner might use to gain control. If you constantly find yourself in a position where your partner constantly makes you feel irrational, you might start feeling like you're always the bad guy. A partnership where one person gaslights the other can feel suffocating.

* You are getting undermined in relationship

It can feel equally smothering to have a partner who frequently nit-picks and puts you down. Weeks or months of this kind of behaviour can chip away at your self-confidence and inner strength. While constructive criticism is one of the factors in maintaining a healthy relationship, constant undermining of one partner by the other can make the relationship toxic in a long run.

* Your partner isolates you

When your partner starts to isolate you, it can have a suffocating effect on you. Isolation tactics can be that subtle or more overt. Isolating you from your support network, can make you an easy target for emotional manipulation and abuse.Isolation tactics can be that subtle or more overt. This might also lead to your partner putting down your family and friends. You might start feeling like an unreliable person in a longer run the relationship can make you feel miserable.

* Your relationship is co-dependent

There comes a point, too, where your relationship can feel suffocating because the two of you are co-dependent. In co-dependent relationship, there's one partner who relies heavily on the other and one who's sense of self is wrapped up in providing for their partner. There are cases where the dependent experiences helplessness without the co-dependent. On the other hand, co-dependent's sense of self-worth and self-esteem are often tied to their ability to fix things, be proactive, help others, people-please, etc. and they might feel directionless outside of such a role. Being tied to this unhealthy relationship roles can suck the joy out of your partnership.