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Their compliments make you feel guilty.
Compliments from your partner should make you feel good, appreciated, and special — unless they have an ulterior motive. Using compliments to manipulate, guilt, or control a partner is a very subtle, toxic sign that the relationship is unhealthy, explains Dr. Feuereisen. “If your partner constantly showers you with compliments so that you feel guilty to go out with your friends when [they] tell you ‘but I love spending time with you, you are so amazing, couldn’t you just skip this one night out and spend it with me…’ That one night can turn into many nights,” she warns. Her advice if you sense this is happening in your relationship is to be on the lookout for when they love-bomb you with compliments to the point where “you feel guilty to say no because [they’re] so attentive and ‘nice’ — but you feel smothered.”
