2 Behaviors That Signal The Death Of A Relationship, By A Psychologist

InnovationScience2 Behaviors That Signal The Death Of A Relationship, By A PsychologistByMark Travers,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about relationships, personality, and everyday psychology.Follow AuthorJun 09, 2026, 05:30pm EDTEvery relationship has disagreements, but some patterns predict far more than just a bad day. Are these warning signs present in yours?gettyBreakups rarely come completely out of the blue. Even when someone in a relationship insists that their partner left “without warning,” a closer look often reveals that the warning signs were there all along. The trouble is that these signs aren’t always easy to spot right away.Thankfully, decades of psychological research have helped identify some of the clearest indicators that a relationship is in trouble. On their own, these behaviors are concerning, but not necessarily fatal in isolated instances. Many couples experience them at some point and successfully work through them. But if both of the following signs become persistent features of a relationship, they can indicate deeper problems that threaten its long-term survival.1. Arguing About The Same Things In The RelationshipContrary to popular belief, conflict itself is not a death sentence for a relationship. In fact, disagreements are a normal and necessary part of any close partnership. Two people with different personalities, habits, needs and expectations are inevitably going to frustrate one another from time to time. That’s why healthy relationships are often defined in terms of how willing partners are to address problems and work through them together.The issue arises when the same disagreements keep resurfacing over and over again, without ever reaching a meaningful resolution.Imagine a couple who argue every Friday night because one partner consistently stays out later than expected. The other partner has repeatedly explained why this behavior upsets them. They feel neglected, wo...