Lifestyle

8 subtle signs you are unhappy in a relationship

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Relationships are one of the most vital and fulfilling aspects of human lives.
The connections we forge while we are on the journey of life, become an integral part of how our lives shape up.
While familial relationships, and friendships act as the anchors of our being, romantic relationships become the axis our lives revolve around.

However, romantic relationships aren’t always a cakewalk. More often than not, one may encounter thorns along with the rosy aura.

It’s a common saying that relationships are work. It takes effort and a humongous amount of energy to make a relationship ‘work’. However, there must be a balance of work and fun in any relationship, and one must be able to recognise when the relationship starts weighing heavier on the fun part.


Any relationship becomes a bit dull as time passes. Once the initial spark and the ‘honeymoon period’ are over, the frictions start to show. Disagreements, arguments become part of the whole deal. It is perfectly normal to be unhappy in a relationship from time to time. But the devil lies in the pattern. If there’s a substantial and noticeable uptick in the frequency and duration of your ‘unhappiness’, then that’s worth paying attention to.

If you end up compromising your happiness time and again while prioritising your partner’s well-being, or if you develop a tendency to brush your feelings under the carpet in order to avoid conflict and confrontation – then there most possibly is a serious shift in the dynamic of the relationship.

As these kinds of emotional rollercoasters take a toll on your mind, your body begins to show signs of unwellness. Sometimes even, it is your body that recognises unhealthy patterns your mind is yet to acknowledge and accept. The sudden change is appetite, or sleep disorders are just the tip of the iceberg.

Major signs of unhappiness in relationships that can be subtle:

Lack of communication: Most people tend to withdraw from their circle while going through some crisis in their personal lives. While brief dissociation sometimes helps some people to cut down the chaos, a pattern of detachment shows the signs of deteriorating mental health. A lack of communication also leads to resentment and distrust in any relationship.

Anger or irritability: A string of bitter experiences often trigger instability in people which can affect their mental health heavily. These experiences, when accumulated, often lead to developing depression, which can cause people to become irritable or short-tempered, and they may lash out at loved ones unexpectedly.
Changes in appetite: Growing distant from food is a major sign of emotional disturbance. A staggering mental health often affects and alters people’s relationship with food. While depression sometimes can cause people to overeat, it can cause a reduced appetite and weight loss.

It is important to pay attention to these subtle signs in order to understand what’s affecting your relationship. If not fixed in time, the small issues can lead to irreparable damage.

Sleep disorders: It’s said that you sleep like a baby when your mind is at peace. Having unhappy and troubled relationships often contributes to building up unnecessary noise in the mind. A disturbed mind makes it harder to sleep, and lack of sleep can contribute to insomnia and severe depression.

Overwhelming guilt: People with a chronic unhappy and troubled mind often develop conditions like depression and bipolar disorders which make them feel guilty over even insignificant things.
Loss of interest in daily activities: People with mental fatigue find no joy in the daily chores. That might lead them to lose interest in their usual activities or tasks, which also affects their productivity – both in their home life and at the workplace.
Concentration problems: Emotional unwellness often leads people towards disorientation, which can cause people to have difficulty staying on task or being productive.
Persistent low mood: People who are at constant war with their minds are always in a foul mood. Moreover, depression makes them feel dejected, demotivated, and even devastated most of the time.