On the upcoming sweet day for lovers and blooming romance, many people celebrate the deep human connections they have with others. Although society encourages individuals to “couple up,” especially this time of year, it’s important to prioritize your own well-being above a relationship. While healthy relationships can create strong, supportive bonds between people, toxic relationships can be damaging and aren’t worth staying in. Here are some signs that mean you should get out! 

You are distancing yourself from your friends and your partner becomes the only source of support. 

Distancing yourself from your friends and support systems outside of your relationships can result in you feeling isolated. Your partner may not always be available to support you, so it’s important to have connections with others. 

You are sacrificing your goals and/or future to maintain the relationship.

Your plans for the future should be for yourself, not for your partner. If your partner is encouraging you to sacrifice your future for them, they might not be considering your goals as an individual. 

You feel like the relationship is progressing incredibly fast. 

Each person has their own boundaries and may not feel comfortable with progressing in a relationship at the same pace as the other. If your boundaries are not being respected, even after discussing with your partner, you should leave. 

You feel like your partner is overly dependent on you and/or you feel pressured to stay in the relationship for the sake of your partner. 

Don’t sacrifice your own well-being to support someone else. Allowing your partner to overly-rely on you can result in codependency and a loss of your time and identity as you sacrifice yourself. 

If you recognize any of these red flags in your relationship, you should have a serious conversation with your partner about fixing the problems or consider leaving the relationship. Reconsidering your relationship can be confusing and stressful, so there are many resources that can provide support, such as the NHS counseling staff and trusted adults.