4 Warning Signs You’re Emotionally Detaching From Your Relationship
While periods of disconnect and misalignment are common and are bound to happen in a relationship, constantly feeling emotionally detached from your partner could signal potential trouble (and maybe even the end of the relationship).
Emotional detachment can occur for a number of reasons including mental health conditions, medication side effects, and past experiences. Emotional detachment may also be the result of you trying to set boundaries or cope with stressful situations. It could also mean that you are outgrowing your relationship or are struggling with some facet of the partnership.
In any scenario, emotional detachment looks the same. As such, here are four warning signs you’re emotionally detaching from your relationship.
1. You have needed much more alone time than usual.
While you used to love being with your partner, lately this has not been the case at all. By the time Friday rolls around, you’d rather see pretty much anyone else or be alone than make date night plans with your significant other.
2. You don’t want to be intimate as often.
You basically have no desire to be intimate with your partner. Sex feels like a chore. Even small doses of affection like a hug or kiss hello feels laborious. The sexual chemistry is just no longer present.
3. You avoid discussing future plans with your partner.
And these future plans don’t even need to be that far off. As per warning sign number one, you are being deeply avoidant in spending time any time with your partner at all. As well, putting off future-oriented conversations could also be a huge warning sign that you don’t see them as part of your future (so there would be no point in discussing it).
4. You’re irritable (especially around your partner).
When you do see your partner, you’re anxious and unhappy. Everything they say or do is either setting you off or annoying you. You end up being snippy and short with them in response. You feel bad because deep down you know they’re not doing anything wrong. And yet, you still can’t shake the irritability. Everything about them feels as though it’s too much, even when it’s reasonable. It’s honestly exhausting to be around them.
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Again, while emotional detachment at times is normal and can be a healthy way to regulate your emotions, persistent feelings of emotional disconnect from your partner will eventually lead to problems in the relationship.
It is important to identify the reason why you’re emotionally disconnecting in order to deal with it appropriately. If the emotional disconnect is the result of, say, a new medication, this can be addressed with your doctor and has nothing to do with the quality of your relationship or feelings for your partner (although you should definitely communicate this with them). However, if the emotional distance seems to be arising from something specific about your partner or relationship, then you need to ask yourself if the problem is fixable or something you’re willing to repair. From there, you’ll know what to do.