What are Relationship Issues?
Relationships with our loved ones, whether romantic or platonic, can bring us joy, meaning, and connectedness like nothing else.
Relationships, however, can be stressful, in part because they are so important to us.
Although some dispute is normal in any relationship and may even be a wholesome way to mature and communicate, relationship problems can also cause signs of common psychological conditions such as anxiety or depression. Relationship problems can sometimes turn into emotional and/or physical abuse. When relationship problems become severe or frequent, they frequently interfere with leading a healthy life.
Types of relationship issues
Though relationship issues come in countless forms, below are some examples of the most common kinds. Most of these could occur in both romantic and platonic relationships:
- Trust issues: You might wonder whether your partner is telling you the truth about your relationship or other aspects of life.
- Issues around attention and priorities: Relationship conflict often comes up around attention and priorities: how you spend your time, what’s on your mind, and, crucially, where the other person fits into all of that.
- Household issues: Issues around chores and the use of shared space are common.
- Communication issues: You don’t feel heard; you wonder whether the other person understands you; you struggle to say what you mean. These are all forms of communication issues, a common setback in many relationships.
- Money issues: Some studies list arguments about finances as the top source of stress in intimate relationships.
- Issues relating to major life changes: Whether you’re moving, changing jobs, having a new baby, or making any other big life change, major life transitions could lead to relationship stress.
- Issues around sex and intimacy: Differing sex drives and questions around attraction and sexual satisfaction are just a few of the factors that might lead to relationship issues.
- Violence, abuse, and gaslighting: When any relationship issue turns into emotional or physical violence or intimidation from one or both partners, the relationship can be considered abusive. Abuse is usually far more dangerous and stressful than the other relationship issues described here.
Signs and Symptoms of Serious Relationship Issues
1. Inflexibility or repeated unwillingness to compromise on decisions, such as social activities, chores, moving, and having children.
2. Selfishness or self-involvement with your own feelings and needs, without concern and support for those of your partner.
3. Meddling by parents.
4. Repeated deference to a friend or relative over your partner’s objection.
5. Repeated instances of critical, undermining, blaming, sarcastic, disrespectful, or manipulative comments. This is verbal abuse.
6. A pattern of withholding communication, affection, or sex. This is often a sign of veiled anger.
7. Arguments or problems that don’t get resolved.
8. Raging or name-calling.
9. Keeping secrets.
10. Passive-aggressive or aggressive behavior, including shoving or breaking objects.
11. Controlling behavior, including giving unwanted advice, ordering, or withholding money for affordable expenses in order to control.
12. A secret romantic relationship or pattern of flirting.
13. Use of drugs or alcohol that impacts the relationship or work.
14. Too much time apart if it causes your partner dissatisfaction.
15. Persistent resentments, judgments, or disappointments.
16. Lack of open communication generally, or communication that lacks personal content. Note that this may not be a problem for some couples with low intimacy needs, where their relationship functions well like a business partnership.
17. Breakdown of trust. This can be caused by numerous things, such as dishonesty, using personal information against your partner, unreliability, broken promises or agreements violating personal boundaries, or infidelity.
18. You need constant attention, validation, or reassurance – whatever’s given is never fulfilling for very long.
19. There are subjects that are off-limits or you’re afraid to talk about.
20. Violating personal boundaries, such as disrespecting your request to not be called at work, to not have confidential information repeated to others, to not be criticized about something, or to not read your mail.
Treatment of Relationship Issues
Psychotherapy can be very effective in resolving relationship issues and improving the quality of relationships. Psychotherapy can assist in exploring issues, bridging communication gaps, increasing trust, and providing each partner with strategies to foster fulfilling relationships. Help is available if you or a loved one is looking for a relationship or marriage counseling center.
What Is Relationship Counseling?
Relationship counseling, also known as couples counseling or couples therapy, is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on helping people improve their romantic relationships. By working with a therapist, couples can explore issues in their relationship, work on their communication, improve interactions, and resolve conflicts.
While relationship counseling is often used to address problems, it can be helpful at any stage of a relationship. People in healthy, happy relationships can still benefit from counseling that strengthens their communication and connection.
Premarital Counseling
Premarital counseling is a type of relationship therapy that helps prepare couples to enter into a long-term commitment. This type of counseling focuses on helping couples develop a strong and healthy relationship before marriage and identify any potential problems that might lead to issues down the road.
Some of the relationship issues that might be addressed during premarital counseling include:
- Communication
- Family relationships
- Finances
- Parenting choices such as whether or not to have children and parenting style
- Roles and responsibilities
- Sex and affection
- Values and beliefs
This type of relationship counseling can be a good way to establish realistic expectations and develop healthy communication skills that will set a marriage off to a good start.
