Have you ever felt angry watching your loved ones getting close to someone else? Do you feel angry inside when you see your partner caring for someone else? This feeling is known as jealousy. It is an emotional state of envy, insecurity, and fear, triggered by a potential threat to a valued relationship.
It’s natural to feel the need to protect the people you love. However, if this protection becomes a barrier between you and your partner, this may indicate unhealthy jealousy. However, how is healthy jealousy different from its unhealthy counterpart?
Let’s find out what makes healthy jealousy different from unhealthy jealousy
Healthy jealousy vs unhealthy jealousy
Jealousy is a complex emotion and is often misunderstood.
Healthy jealousy often shows your commitment to your relationship. It also helps you protect and protect it from major threats. In addition, it often improves and strengthens the quality of your relationship through honest communication. It shows that you would never want to lose your significant other or live without them, and it also connects you more deeply.
Read : 10 Biggest Mistakes Women Make In Relationships
On the other hand, unhealthy jealousy often leads to feelings of doubt, worthlessness, frustration, and a desire to control your significant other. Furthermore, one may unnecessarily and simply accuse one’s partner out of fear and drive them away out of unhealthy jealousy and irrational fear.
Having said that, it is not enough to know. You should be able to identify unhealthy jealousy, too. Read along to find out what unhealthy jealousy looks like.
7 major signs of unhealthy jealousy
One can differentiate between healthy and unhealthy jealousy in several ways. Here are the top 7 ways to determine if you are suffering from unhealthy jealousy
- Your partner ignores your feelings
A crucial sign of unhealthy jealousy is disapproval of a partner’s feelings and needs. If you notice that your partner doesn’t respect your choices or makes fun of what you love, they may be indulging in unhealthy jealousy.
You may see that your partner doubts your choices and is always criticizing you for feeling a certain way. They see everything around you as a threat. If you try to do something you love, he will discourage you or send negative comments towards you.
You might think it’s constructive criticism until you notice its patterns carefully. For example, if you like going out with your friends or taking up a new hobby, they may not be very encouraging about it. Not being able to see yourself happy with anything or anyone other than him can be a huge red flag of unhealthy jealousy.
- They always have this vague need to control everything you do
If your partner is very jealous, he will try to control your every action in the relationship. You may experience a lack of individuality in such a relationship because that is how your partner wants you to feel. If you decide anything on your own, it can make them jealous and jealous of seeing you get out of their control.
He may appear sweet at the beginning of the relationship; To have a co-owner. I’m not saying protection is harmful. You may feel appreciated until you spot them browsing your phone, making decisions for you, or accusing you of something unrelated to satisfy their ego.
In addition, they may end up hurting themselves to make you bow to their decision. You will find yourself on the verge of losing your mind in such a relationship.
- They constantly question you
Have you noticed that your partner is accusing you of cheating for no reason? This may be one of the main signs of unhealthy jealousy. A jealous partner always suspects that you have bad intentions and always thinks that you are doing something bad behind his back. You may more often catch them checking your phone or scrolling through your messages than believing your words.
Moreover, they may question you about the most harmless actions. By questioning, I mean your partner may try to extract as much information as possible, not in an affectionate way but to find any loophole in your words and actions.
In addition, even if they don’t find anything suspicious, they tend to assume something worse to prove themselves right. Having a partner who is interested in knowing where you are can be a good thing. However, being suspicious frequently can often be a problem.
- They stalk your social media.
Social media has become an important presence in our lives, changing the way we interact. However, it also created new possibilities for suspicion and mistrust. Have you ever found your partner obsessing over your social media activities? It may be a sign of unhealthy jealousy.
You will find them tracking your social media posts, likes and follows. They may even make a scene regarding your social activities. In addition, they may force you to delete your social accounts, which is a red flag. In the worst case scenario, you may find them hacking your social sites.
Furthermore, you can observe your partner’s reaction to your social activities, which can provide a clear idea of your partner’s intentions with you. If they cannot respect your privacy, they are likely to be the victim of unhealthy jealousy.
- They expect you to invest all of your time in them
At the beginning of a relationship, it is normal to have a strong desire to spend time with your loved one. However, it is essential to set healthy boundaries to maintain a strong bond. If your partner displays unhealthy jealousy, they may not respect these boundaries and as a result of their insecurities and negative thinking, they may end up destroying the relationship that both of you have worked so hard to build.
In addition, they may always want you to spend all of your time with them even if it requires you to abandon your hobbies, plans with friends, or an important sports match. They may not like you to spend your free time without them.
As a result, you may lose your personality and alone time while pursuing them. If they don’t respect your personal space and don’t trust you with anyone, it could be a sign of unhealthy jealousy that you should never overlook.
- They show excessive possessiveness towards you
A little possessiveness is normal in any relationship. If you love someone, you can feel protective of that person. However, there is a limit to this, and they may get annoyed when it becomes too much. Excessive possessiveness is often caused by insecurity and fear of abandonment.
Furthermore, you may notice that your partner is competing with certain people. They think this person might be interested in you. They may want you to stop interacting with others so that you don’t get distracted or cheat on them.
Moreover, the possessive partner does not want to share you with anyone and may impose several restrictions on you. Playing the victim card and gaslighting are some of the signs of this trait. Being overly possessive is a huge sign of unhealthy jealousy.
- Your partner has become unhealthily dependent on you
Do you feel overwhelmed by being your partner’s only emotional support system? Are you the only person in their life? You may feel this way because your partner always needs moral and emotional support and is unhealthily dependent on you.
Plus, they take their time thinking about you, they might share every detail with you, and they keep scrolling through your social sites when you’re busy. They keep texting or calling you even when you’re at work and they might threaten to hurt or kill themselves if you’re not there for them every single time.
It’s okay to depend on your partner sometimes, but being dependent on them is a strong sign of an unhealthy relationship. An unhealthy dependence on your partner can make the relationship toxic and unstable. It also hurts both of you. It is necessary to address and solve the problem before it becomes bitter and bitter.
Read : 10 Silly Habits That Seem Insignificant But Slowly Ruin Relationships
Jealousy is a normal emotion that can become unhealthy when it begins to control a person’s thoughts and actions. If you notice any of these signs of unhealthy jealousy in your loved one, it is imperative to encourage them to seek help from a mental health professional. With the right support and guidance, it is possible to manage jealousy in a healthy way and work towards establishing a more stable and secure connection with one another.
