If your partner is feeling a little like they’ve “had it”, they might start losing their patience more easily than usual — all of a sudden they’re angry at you for getting the wrong salad dressing, but maybe it’s something a little deeper than that.
Rather than immediately get defensive, recognize this might be a sign that they need some space.
“Maybe your partner tells you they ‘can’t win’ or that they don’t want to talk about specific topics anymore,” Liz Colizza, MAC, LPC, NCC head of research at Lasting,tells Bustle. “Maybe they are giving into your requests or demands with a sense of resignation.”
If their patience is wearing thin, it’s time for you to take a step back and assess your own behavior. For one, Colizza says, you do want to make sure you aren’t “word vomiting” all your feelings onto your partner all the time. “Practice sorting through them on your own first,” she says. “If you see signs of your partner feeling emotionally drained, consider what you might be doing to make them feel that way.”
If you want to go even farther, she says, ask them how you can reset the balance in your relationship.
