6 Examples of the Fine Line Between Green and Red Flags in Relationships

In the complicated world of navigating relationships, it is important to beware of the tactics that people use. When we think of the word toxic relationship, things like screaming and fighting come to mind, however, that is not always the case. A person can disguise themselves as a caring partner and make you believe that their behavior is normal, but there is a way to tell a green flag from a red one.

Bright Side always wants you to be in a thriving relationship, so we researched the difference between the displays of affection that are on the border of being healthy and toxic. We are hoping that our article helps you stay safe.

1. Healthy: being private

Even though you 2 are an item, everyone is entitled to personal privacy in relationships. Without privacy, it would be impossible for us to discover who we really are by ourselves, away from social expectations. Sometimes, there is information that you don’t want to share with your partner because you need time to process it and figure out how to go deal with it. There is nothing wrong with it, and having a little space for only yourself is essential to your personal growth.

Red flag: being secretive

Being secretive is not the same as being private. The difference between privacy and secrecy is that a secret is crucial information that you are hiding from your partner out of fear or shame. Any healthy relationship needs transparency. So it is important to share relevant information, especially if you think it would make your partner upset, because it would be difficult to navigate this relationship in complete honesty moving forward.

2. Healthy: talking regularly and making time for each other

When a person really wants to be with you, they will find the time for you, or communicate the reasons why they can’t if they have a busy schedule. Communicating with your partner consistently and meeting up regularly is a great sign in a relationship.

Red flag: insisting you be together all the time

If your partner reacts poorly to when you make plans without them and cannot handle being alone on their own, it speaks to their inability to manage discomfort and can be read as possessive behavior. Personal space is important in relationships, otherwise you cannot grow as a person outside of your partner.

3. Healthy: being attentive to your needs

You shouldn’t need to beg your partner to pay attention to you or be more attentive, they should do it on their own. Of course, it is hard to know what exactly you need if you are both in the early stage of your relationship, so make sure to communicate accordingly.

Red flag: love-bombing

Love-bombing is a technique that is used in the early stages of the relationship. In simpler words, they are overwhelming you with attention, want to talk about the future, and make you feel like the center of their universe too soon and very quickly. It means that the person is trying to win over you by manipulating you with extra attention, rather than being genuine.

4. Healthy: being open about past relationships

It may feel counter-intuitive to talk about your exes in a new relationship, but it is actually a healthy thing to do. Our past experiences have shaped us into who we are today and taught us lessons we can learn from, so your relationship can become stronger, and you will become closer with your new partner.

Red flag: telling stories about “crazy exes”

Every relationship is a 2-way street, so it is not a good sign if your partner always talks about their previous commitment negatively and paints their ex as someone who was “crazy” and the sole reason they broke up. At best, it is a sign of immaturity.

5. Healthy: being able to laugh at each other

We all have our flaws, and the best way to live with them is to not take yourself extremely seriously. Laughter is the best cure for this problem. If you and your partner are able to light-heartedly laugh at each other’s imperfections, it’s a sign that you find each other loveable despite them.

Red flag: masking insults as jokes

Constant mean jokes about your insecurities or flaws is not something to be taken lightly, because that can be a way for your partner to try and make you feel worthless and create an imbalance of power in your relationship. If you call them out on it, and they refuse to back down, that is a red flag.

6. Healthy: opening up about hard times

Mature partners are able to recognize their own emotions and talk about anything that may be bothering them with their significant other. Besides, if your partner is able to turn to you during hard times and open up about their problems, it shows that you have a trusting relationship, and they generally find you to be a reliable person.

Red flag: expecting you to be their therapist and fix all their problems

A balanced relationship includes your partner talking to you about their happiness and victories, not just the heavy things they went through. So if they use you as mainly a source of complaints, then it is a sign that they might be treating you like their therapist. If they rely heavily on you and don’t have another support group, that is also a red flag.

What do you consider to be a huge red flag?