Six signs your relationship may be about to end

Marie-Claire Dorking
·Contributor
Updated ·5-min read
Stock photo of a man and woman looking upset to depict a couple contemplating separation as they realise their relationship is over. (Getty Images)
Is your relationship over? Experts lay out the signs that may mean it's time to call it quits. (Getty Images)

Valentine's Day may be fast approaching, but it appears there's something rather less romantic in the air for the A-list, with the number of celebrity splits seemingly on the rise right now.

Back in December Fearne Cotton confirmed that she and her husband Jesse Wood had decided to separate after 10 years of marriage. News of the break-up came ahead of reports that Sam Thompson and Zara McDermott had split after five years together. That was swiftly followed by Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon who announced earlier this year that she had broken up with her husband, Peter Murrell. Meanwhile, Richard Hammond also recently confirmed the separation from his wife Amanda "Mindy" after 28 years.

And most recently, there were reports in Spain that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, 53, may have split from his wife of 30 years.

It isn't only celebrities who appear to have caught the break-up bug, however, with research revealing that you could fall victim to "Red Tuesday", the day people are most likely to be dumped.

A new survey, IllicitEncounters.com found 36% of its members admitted to breaking up with their partner in the run-up to Valentine’s Day. Of those, over half (66%) said they dumped their other half on "Red Tuesday" - the Tuesday before Valentine's Day.

The reasons for this pre-V day dumping vary, but the most common one – cited by 31% of participants – is wanting to avoid the pressure of Valentine’s Day expectations. For many, the thought of planning a romantic evening or buying a meaningful gift for a partner they no longer see a future with is enough to push them to end things beforehand.

Meanwhile, 27% admitted they wanted to avoid the guilt of faking affection on the most romantic day of the year.

Jessica Leoni, a sex and relationships expert at the extramarital dating site, said Valentine's Day is a time when couples reflect on their relationship and decide if they truly see a future together.

She says some feel trapped by the most romantic day of the year and the expectations that come with it, and rather than putting in effort for a relationship they don’t see lasting, they cut ties instead.

Couple breaking up. (Getty Images)
There are some signs to look out for that your relationship may be on the rocks. (Getty Images)

Aside from the pressure of forcing things on Valentine's Day there are a whole host of reasons why couples decide to break up. If you're unsure whether to call it quits, recognising the signs your relationship could be over may be helpful.

One of the top reasons that a relationship has come to the end of its course is a growing lack of communication or disconnect, both in and out of the bedroom.

Not feeling concerned about who they are with or what they might be doing is another sign, according to behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings. "Others include increasingly enjoying or looking forward to spending time without your partner; noticing flaws in your partner, where before you weren’t aware of them or even loved them for it and feeling that sex is a chore or lacks intimacy," she previously told Yahoo UK.

Dating expert, James Preece says that one of the most common reasons for couples splitting up is boredom.

"If you don’t get excited about seeing your partner anymore, then something is wrong," he says. "You’ve both stopped making an effort and are stuck in the same routines. You go to the same place, do the same things and have the same conversations over and over. It’s possible to save a relationship by mixing things up again, but if you don’t want to, then your days are numbered."

Shot of a young woman looking upset after a fight with her husband in the background
A relationship's days may be numbered when you don't look forward to seeing your partner anymore, says one expert. (Getty Images)

Resentment is also a strong factor in a break-up, says Preece. "If your relationship is strong, then you are a team," he says. "Your partner’s successes and happiness are yours too. If you are heading towards a split, then you’ll start to feel these are personal slights against you. Every comment or action they take will begin to annoy you, no matter how well-meaning they are."

Of course, arguing is also high on the list. "Most couples bicker from time to time and it’s usually a healthy way to express your feelings," says Preece. "However, if you find yourselves doing it much more than there are probably built up issues bubbling away. You’ll begin to snap at them for the tiniest little things."

But a lack of arguing can also be a bad sign, according to Preece. "Even more worrying than arguing too much is when you completely stop," he explains. "If you can’t be bothered to fight for what you want then you won’t be bothered to fight for your relationship."

Sometimes, your gut feeling is right. "If your relationship has run its course then you’ll both know deep down, even if you don’t want to admit it," Preece adds. "It will be a nagging little voice telling you that things aren’t quite right. In this situation, it’s best to talk about what’s happening and plan a separation as amicably as possible."

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