Are you currently dating someone and wondering if he’s the best fit for you? To confirm, watch out for the biggest red flags that you shouldn’t keep a blind eye on.
Red flags usually manifest in the earliest stages of a relationship, but they’re easy to miss. They aren’t just pet peeves or conflicting preferences. Instead, they’re negative behaviors, flaws in personality, and carelessness about your feelings.
So, let’s dive in with 10 dating red flags that should send you running!
What Are the 10 Major Dating Red Flags That You Should Watch Out For?
Here are some major warning signs to look for in a relationship:
1. Rude to Other People
You may encounter someone who’s extremely good to you but treats other people poorly. Be careful; your date might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
You’ll know if the person you’re dating is genuine from the way they speak to and treat people in the service industry. If your date is rude to them, it’s a big red flag. So, go get your bag ready and leave.
2. Resorts to Love Bombing
I call this the “deceiving effect.”
Love bombing is lavishing you with so much affection that it translates to manipulation. It’s mainly in the form of flowery words, gifts, and grand gestures to lure your trust for their own goals.
It might sound nice at first, but it can turn into emotional abuse very quickly. Sometimes, it’s an attempt by the partner to control you and make you think you owe them for the things they’ve done for you.
The guilt you’ll feel because of their impressive expression of affection could hook you up and leave you manipulated. So, be mindful of this red flag.
3. Overly Controlling Behavior
A healthy relationship allows you to grow, explore, and find time for yourself. So, good support from your partner keeps the ball rolling and makes you more confident.
However, overly controlling behavior is a sign of an unhealthy relationship that’ll most likely lead to abuse.
Remember that a relationship grows if it allows you to grow as an individual!
4. Lacks Communication
Communication is crucial to all relationships since it tests the compatibility of two lovers. Ideally, you want to be able to enjoy chatting with your partner and feel comfortable sharing your experiences and thoughts with them.
Conversely, if they always seem uninterested in expanding most of your conversation, that’s a bad sign.
Similarly, if your partner doesn’t care about fixing a misunderstanding or is constantly ignoring your urgent texts, it might be time to reflect on how successful the relationship actually is.
5. Doesn’t Seem to Trust You
Trust is the most important ingredient that’ll make any relationship work.
Of course, mistrust is hard to get rid of. However, both of you should overpower it if you want to level up the status of your relationship.
After all, a relationship built on mistrust is like a vessel made of paper; easy to rip and quick to sink!
6. Talks a Lot About His Ex
It’s not necessarily a red flag when your date brings out their previous relationship into the conversation. Actually, you should pay close attention to what they have to say about their ex. This will tell you a lot about their personality and will give you an idea of what kind of person they are.
However, it becomes an obvious red flag when they talk ill about their ex all the time to shift the blame. Likewise, they won’t keep mentioning past partners if they’ve already moved on.
7. Disregards and Disrespects Your Needs
Respect, just like trust, is vital in a relationship and comes in different forms.
For once, your date should listen to what you have to say about the situation. They must respect your opinion and your decision. If your date knows how to consider your stance on important matters, there’s a greater chance that you’ll have a happy and successful relationship.
Otherwise, it’ll seem like you’re just gambling your life on someone who’ll become your worst nightmare with constant bickering.
8. Can’t Keep His Words
Does he always say he’ll take you on a date after work but doesn’t?
If the guy you’re dating is inconsistent and can’t keep his promise, it could be a sign that he’s a liar or simply can’t make you a priority.
Of course, that doesn’t apply to emergencies; it has to be a pattern of deceiving and broken promises.
9. Clingy to the Point of Suffocation
Being clingy and protective feels nice, but not when it gets “too much.” It could be their love language, but it could also mean dependency and manipulation.
It’s great to know that your partner cannot live without you, but not when they demand too much of your attention. After all, being in a relationship doesn’t mean you have to do everything together all the time.
You’re human, and you need your time alone. If your date doesn’t give you that, they’re probably the wrong person for you.
10. Shows Signs of Irresponsibility and Immaturity
Starting a relationship is more than just dates; you have to be able to build a future together. So, if you sense that this person is wildly irresponsible with their life decisions, they might just drag you down.
Don’t get me wrong; people deserve a chance to better themselves. We all deserve that, but you certainly don’t have to put up an irresponsible partner when it comes to things like money, careers, and starting a family.
The Takeaway
We often hear about red flags from our close relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Yet, when we’re in love, we simply shrug the warning signs off, thinking they’ll change or vanish eventually.
The sad news is that they’ll progress if you ignore them once. As a result, you might end up dealing with grave issues.
Though we shouldn’t be too judgemental, we also have to be observant and alert as it’s our future we’re putting on the line!
