Being in a relationship is not easy and certainly can test our patience.  So how can you tell if your relationship is worth your time and effort?

A good question to initially ask yourself is:  Are you feeling more stressed having a partner than when you are single?

This might be a tough question to answer honestly with yourself, but it’s worth the introspection in order to fix your relationship before it’s too late to salvage, or before it does permanent damage on both parties.  

We all experience stress.  The American Psychological Association’s most recent stats show that 69% of the adults in the U.S. that were surveyed reported experiencing symptoms of stress during the previous year.

These stats could be due to family issues, work problems, health and more but the question is where is your stress coming from? Is your mate stressing you out?

If your relationship is causing you distress or conflict in other relationships then they may be contributing to unnecessary stress! This can be tricky because it will disguise itself as “family stress” or “friendship stress”.

Here are some helpful ways to identify if it is relationship stress:

#1 Your significant other overly jealous of your time with friends and family.

He/she makes you choose between them or your family/friends. Or, you feel you need to isolate yourself from friends and family because of their negative opinion of your partner.

In this situation, you might need to reevaluate if you are in a healthy relationship or not.  It is a major red flag that you might be in a toxic relationship if NO one supports your union.

#2 Your relationship is an off-again/on-again roller coaster.

There are healthy discussions about whether two people should continue being together or not. But, if you are having these type of discussions on a regular basis and it is used as a threat than there is a problem.

Your relationship is missing one of the principal components in a healthy partnership: commitment safety.  Without commitment safety your relationship will never thrive to its maximum potential.

#3 Your companion is causing you to feel anxious or depressed.

We can feel upset and some normal levels of distress after a heated discussion with our partner, but it is never ok to be in a prolonged state of anxiety or depression because of a relationship.

Even with the hard work it takes to maintain a romantic partnership, the pain and tears should never surpass the love and joy.

Relationships can feel like a struggle, a battle, and sometimes like a chore, but they should never negatively impact your life and its healthy functioning.  Being in a relationship is a partnership, a team effort, and it takes more than just “love” or chemistry to work.

A relationship takes respect above all else–for yourself and for your partner.  It also takes the desire to contribute to another person’s life without unrealistic expectations.

Seeking professional help from a counselor is highly recommended if you are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, or depression as a result of your current romantic relationship.  You may need to work on your relationship in couples counseling or cut the dead weight completely, and free yourself of unnecessary and unwanted stress.

If the signs above are all too familiar it is time for you and/or your partner to seek help. Call Life Counseling Solutions at 407-622-1770 as your first step towards a healthy relationship. Our book your first appointment online here with one of our expert relationship therapist.