3 Relationship Red Flags To Watch For This Holiday Season, From A Therapist

It's the most wonderful time of the year—but that doesn't mean relationship red flags won't pop up. In fact, this time of year may show you a side of your partner you've yet to see, as families gather and holiday stress piles up.

According to licensed therapist and relationship expert De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar, LCSW-S, CST, one of the biggest red flags to watch out for is a partner who is unwilling to attend family or friend gatherings with you. Even worse, she notes, is if your partner tries to isolate you from these events and keep you away from your loved ones.

"If your partner is really not wanting to entertain your family events but, further, take you away from your family events and isolate you, that's a huge red flag," she tells mbg.

Another glaring red flag that you may notice during the holidays is toxic family dynamics within your partner's family. This may be especially noticeable if this is the first holiday you're meeting their extended family.

"What is their relationship with their biological family or even their chosen family? Do they have close relationships with other people? Because if they don't, that's a huge red flag, too—and could be indicative of patterns of behavior you may not want to associate with," Blaylock-Solar explains.

Of course, some people have valid reasons for not being close to their family, which you may be aware of. But Blaylock-Solar notes you'll want to keep an eye out for things like explosive anger, codependent dynamics, and general poor communication. Much of the way people behave in relationships, such as their attachment style and how they handle conflict, are affected by family dynamics, and you'll likely find you can put a lot of pieces together when you get a sense of the environment they grew up in and how they interact with the people supposedly closest to them.

And lastly, Blaylock-Solar says, pay attention to your partner's substance use around the holidays. Nothing wrong with enjoying some good wine with good company, but as she notes, it's about the way they're using substances, and namely, whether they're using them to cope or deal with the stress of the season.