Feeling trapped in a relationship is more common than you think. Relationships can be tricky, especially long-term ones. People change over time and so does the relationship. Some changes, however, can lead to people feeling trapped with a person they once loved.
There are a number of reasons that lead to people feeling trapped in a long-term relationship, and they aren’t always so obvious. It can be something specific or a combination of reasons why the relationship has become suffocating for one or the other.
We have some of the most common reasons people end up feeling trapped in their relationship and why this happens.
Hopefully, this information will help you feel freer in your relationship.
1. One of you have changed
People change over time, it’s completely natural to feel as though your partner is different from when you first got together. However, if you feel as though these changes are negative, it can cause you to feel trapped.
If your partner has become more critical, distant, or even gained weight, this can cause you to feel this way.
Why it happens
Changes such as weight gain and criticizing come from your partner feeling unfulfilled or unhappy. This can lead to people eating more, or even less. They can be more critical as they have less patience, and are generally unhappy.
What to do about it
Have a frank conversation with your partner. Find out what the issues are and where the problems are stemming from. If you are talking about your partner’s weight, however, be sure to be sensitive about the subject.
Once you find the source of the problem, make a plan to work towards a solution and stick to it.
2. You feel bored
Boredom is a very common reason for feeling trapped in one’s relationship. When you’ve been with someone for a long time, you can start to take them for granted. Once you start thinking they’re going to be there no matter what, you can feel a bit trapped.
Why it happens
Boredom stems from a lack of change or challenge. Once the chase of the relationship is over, the everyday routine can feel monotonous. If you have a routine with your partner, you can begin to feel bored with it.
We forget what made us fall in love in the first place and the fun you had with them.
What to do about it
Shake up your routine with a new hobby, either together or apart. Time alone can give you more things to talk about and a hobby together is a great way of injecting fun back into the relationship.
3. You don’t talk anymore
Communication is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. Without it, partners feel lonely and this can lead to more arguments and to the breakdown of the relationship in general.
Why it happens
Communication can break down when both partners don’t put the effort in that did initially. This comes from taking the relationship for granted or not appreciating the relationship you have.
Feeling as though you cannot talk to your partner is one of the top reasons for being trapped in a relationship.
What to do about it
Commit to making time for one another. Plan a date night every week and get dressed up for each other. Plan dinners together and talk about things you may not usually.
Getting ready for each other and looking your best will remind both partners of what they have.
4. You feel suffocated
Being suffocated and being trapped can be commonly mistaken for one another, but the two are very different. Feeling trapped suggests that you don’t see a way out of your relationship. Feeling suffocated suggests you don’t get enough time to yourself.
Why it happens
If you don’t get enough time for yourself, you can quickly become frustrated. The longer this goes on, the worse the feeling will get. You may find yourself feeling irritable quickly and aggravated in your daily routine.
What to do about it
Take some more time for yourself. Take up a new hobby or restart an old one. Spend time with friends and family and shake up your routine a little. Having some time apart will allow you to miss your partner and want to spend more time with them.
Changing how you feel about your partner will help you feel less trapped.
5. You feel under-appreciated
Feeling under-appreciated is a common occurrence in a relationship that has been together for a while.
Why it happens
Partners get stuck in a routine and one can end up taking up more responsibility than the other. When it becomes common that your partner doesn’t do their fair share, you can quickly become irritated and begin feeling trapped.
What to do about it
Have an honest conversation with your partner and tell them how you feel. If they are willing to make changes, create a chores rota so that no one is left taking up more responsibility than the other.
Appreciate what your partner does for you also, as you may not be seeing the things that they do for you.
Feeling trapped in the relationship with your special someone is a bad way to feel. It causes more problems in the future and can lead to the relationship breaking down. Yet, it is so easy to fix.
Being honest with your partner and making small changes to your routine can make all the difference and make both partners so much happier.
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