4 Screaming Signs That Your Relationship Reached A Dead End Long Ago

As we all likely know from experience, relationships, no matter with whom, can be tough.

While the bond between two people is based on being able to accept the other person for who he or she is, there are times when a relationship is so irreconcilable that both parties simply know that it is time to say goodbye to things for good.

Unfortunately, most relationships are not so cut and dry. You might find yourself wondering whether it is truly time to call it quits or if you should try to push through what might just be a rough patch.

While each relationship is very different, here are four basic signs that you should have put your dying relationship out of its misery ages ago:

1. Guilt

Maybe you've made mistakes in the past, or perhaps you feel like you owe your partner for something he or she has done for you. Oftentimes, couples will stay together because they feel guilty about ending the relationship.

While guilt is sometimes warranted when considering uncoupling, do not allow the guilt to keep you in a relationship that offers no other motivation to keep things going.

2. Convenience

Granted, life can be much easier when two people are working together to survive than going at it alone. However, this should never be the reason to stay in an otherwise dead-end romantic relationship.

If you and your mate are feeling more like roommates who occasionally talk to each other when you run out of toilet paper or milk, then it is highly probable that the spark is dead and it’s time to move on.

3. For The Kids

While it is a noble reason, staying together because you have children with your partner is not always the right choice. Children are incredibly perceptive and are very aware of tension and unhappiness in the relationship between their parents.

Ensuring your own happiness and the happiness of your partner is an integral part of your children’s happiness. Forcing yourself to be a family when neither parent is happy is never the way to go.

4. Pressure

Whether the pressure comes from family, friends or your partner, staying in a relationship because of the expectations of others is a terrible way to live.

Do you really want to spend your entire life miserable because your mother-in-law thinks you should? Eventually, the pressure will be too much and the relationship will end anyway. If you feel like the main reason you are still in your current relationship is because someone else wants you to be, then it is probably time to jump ship!

The only reason to be (and stay) a relationship is when you and your partner are genuinely happy and are working toward mutual goals.

If your children, pressure from outside sources, guilt or convenience are what’s keeping you in it, then the relationship will never ultimately succeed and you will be unhappy until a change is made.

Although the truth is sometimes hard to face, ending a bad relationship before it is too far gone is ultimately what's best for you and your partner.

Photo via We Heart It