Shruti MehtaThey say, “Relationships are worth fighting for, but you can’t be the only one fighting.” Any relationship evolves and withers with passing time. But care, concern, and efforts from both partners can help it pass the test of time and prevent it from turning into ashes. Preserving a relationship is not a cakewalk for sure, but it is not impossible either. But saving a relationship becomes increasingly difficult if it is a one-sided relationship!
You all must have heard the term “One-sided Relationship”. But are you aware of what it truly means? Let’s talk about If not, don’t worry! We have got your back. Today’s post is all about signs of a one-sided relationship, its causes, and how to deal with it! But the most crucial question is…
What is a One-Sided Relationship?
Have you ever felt that you are the only one prioritizing your relationship? Or you are the only one taking efforts to make the relationship work or make your partner feel special? If yes, then you must be more attentive and cautious while grasping this piece of information.
A one-sided relationship can be defined as an imbalanced interpersonal relationship where one person invests more energy or where one person wields more control. Also, the imbalance is not only limited to emotional factors but also financial, physical, and mental.
There might have been a situation where you temporarily felt that your partner is not giving you any attention or putting in enough effort. But they simply could have been busy or under tremendous work pressure and would have made up to you later. Such a case is not an example of a one-sided relationship. It was just driven by the situation and can be avoided if both partners work on their understanding and empathy.
6 Signs of a One-Sided Relationship
1. Efforts and Apology is one-sided
As the relationship pattern suggests, the majority of the efforts are taken by one partner. There is a clear imbalance and the responsibility to nurture a relationship falls on the shoulder of one partner. This is applicable even after a fight where only one person takes the pain to reach out, clear the air, mend things, and even apologize for things to go back to normal. The other partner might not reciprocate all the efforts fully or even just for the sake of it. They might expect their partner to initiate things as always and take the crucial first step.
2. Only one partner sacrifices
In a relationship, both partners need to make certain adjustments so that they fit in like missing pieces of puzzles together. These adjustments and sacrifices need to be invested by both partners and not by one partner at the forefront. But in a one-sided relationship, one partner makes the majority of the sacrifices needed to keep the relationship functioning and to keep all the possible issues at the bay. Their partner might even shrug off all the responsibilities to take all the important relationship-related decisions with minimal or no input at all.
3. Lack of Security
Sometimes, reassurance becomes pivotal in a relationship. But in a one-sided relationship, one partner does not put any effort and just does not care enough to take even the slightest effort. This might result in their partner being insecure about their relationship and having a lingering feeling of not knowing where they stand and what importance they have in the former’s life. This in the long run makes them doubt their self-worth as well.
The clutches of insecurity extend to the cases where for one partner the relationship might be as dear to them as their life. They might be insecure to lose their relationship and thus might keep on lifting the weight of all the responsibilities of their relationship and sacrificing things for their partner’s sake even if they don’t notice or care about it.
4. Too many excuses to handle
As they say, “It takes two to tango.” Similarly, when both partners give ample support in making excuses, it can lead to a relationship being one-sided. When one partner makes excuses for the other for not contributing enough to the relationship or frequently dealing with stress, and work pressure that prevents them from participating in any of the events or functions where their presence is required, it is one of the many signs of a one-sided relationship.
Also, when a partner constantly and regularly keeps on making excuses for their bad behavior, avoidance of responsibilities, or not putting enough effort in a relationship, they are clearly making their partner suffer by jerking off their hands from all the responsibility of the relationship.
5. Ineffective communication
Constant and effective communication can prove to be the backbone of a relationship. It is when both partners create a space where they not only listen to the problems but also share their worries and opinion, that the communication is fruitful. But poor communication is one of the signs of a one-sided relationship. This can be because a person does not know how to express their views and opinions on a certain relationship issue. Another reason can be one partner just doesn’t care enough to listen to others’ problems, opinions, achievements, etc. The latter does not feel any satisfaction when they try to communicate or their partner blatantly shrugs them off.
6. Lack in financial contribution
Any and every contribution of a one-sided relationship is imbalanced. And financial contributions are no exception to this. One partner pays the majority of the shared expenses in their relationship, and often this can extend to them paying for their partner’s personal expenses and even becoming accountable for their financial obligations. Even together, they might hardly initiate to pay any of the bills, thus slipping away from financial responsibilities and channeling an imbalanced contribution. This imbalance might even be true in the case of physical intimacy where only one person tries to take things further and the other might just not be interested.
These are the signs of a one-sided relationship but to know more about any issue, it is also essential to understand the crux of it. Thus, it is important to briefly know about the causes of the one-sided relation too! Poor communication skills, different communication styles, insecurity, conflicting expectations, individual problems, attachment styles, and passive-aggressive behavior are some of the causes of a one-sided relationship.
After all of this, the one question that one can stumble upon is whether it is worth fixing or how to deal with a one-sided relationship. Take a look!
How to Deal with a One-Sided Relationship?
A one-sided relationship can be restored only if the partner is willing to change. Both partners need to be on the same page whether they want to make things work or end them. The partner must truly want to put in the effort or else there might be a repetition of the same patterns time and again, which might kill the essence of the relationship over time.
We have been pressurized time and again that communication can make or mar a relationship. Similarly, for such a relationship, it is pivotal to have open and honest communication. It should be about the feelings, needs, boundaries, expectations, etc of both partners. By keeping all of these in mind, both partners can have clarity on whether things can work or not.
Also, an effective way of dealing with a one-sided relationship is attending couples coaching. This can prove to be fruitful for both partners to learn and discover something new about each other, which might help them, in the long run, to thrive in their relationship. Seeking help might be hard, but here we make it easy for you! If you need help from a relationship coach, click here!
It is also important to understand that each and everything has a consequence. Being in a one-sided relationship for a prolonged span can make an individual doubt their self-worth. Being in such a relationship is not only extremely stressful but one also feels very lonely. Thus, to escape such impacts, it is essential to deal with them correctly.
This is everything we had to talk about- “Are You In A One-Sided Relationship? 6 Signs!” We hope that this proves to be helpful for those struggling with a one-sided relationship. Subscribe to read more such updates and follow us on Instagram where we have a lot more going on! To read our latest article on the Cuffing Season in Relationships, click here. Let us know what would you like to read about in the comments below!
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