Good people can get so wrapped up in their own lives that there's really no room for you. What seems like a positive life passion can take over and crowd you out of your own relationship. So keep your eyes open and watch out for these four good people who can make bad partners.
1. Health nuts
They may call themselves lifestyle experts or wellness aficionados. But to the outside world, and even their own partners, health nuts are a big nuisance. There's nothing wrong with taking care of your body. Good health is vital to a good life. But people who take it too far and are more concerned about perfecting their physical condition can lose sight on actually living life. A healthy person has fun, has cheat days and has patience for people who are not as fit or passionate as they are.
Health nuts are obsessive, fanatical and can become controlling, unsympathetic and aggressive. In the extreme, these people can look down on others for their choices and become vain and hateful. They're not trying to be bad people or partners, but things go awry romantically once they lose balance. It's fine to run your own life, but no one wants the obligation to live someone else's lifestyle. And no one wants someone else counting their calories.
2. Medical professionals
Doctors, nurses, EMTs and other medical professionals can have demanding schedules. Their jobs are time-consuming and particularly stressful. Medical careers can take over their lives and leave them unfocused, fatigued or absent at home.
Depression and anxiety can also develop from constantly caring for others if they're not careful. They can even develop codependent caretaking behavior with others. This can happen with patients, clients, friends, family and spouses. A calling and career in the medical field can lead to exhaustion, and leave no time or energy for anything else.
3. Counselors and psychologists
People in the mental health business may have a hard time turning their training off outside of work. Spouses can feel like they're analyzing instead of listening, and diagnosing instead of comforting. Therapists are trained to have an empathetic tone but a cool emotional detachment to guide their clients or patients into a better life.
This doesn't always work in love. Sometimes your partner just wants to be heard, not helped. They want to be held, not healed.
4. Zealots
Having faith is an amazing and important part of life. But living with someone who makes you feel judged and pressured instead of loved and relieved is not fair or fun. Spiritual extremists and religious fanatics alike can show a cult-like worship for their beliefs and leaders. They preach dogma instead of living by tenets of kindness, love and acceptance. They prefer conversion to conversation. Sharing faith with others is fine, but pushing it on them at the expense of their relationship is not.
If you're married to or dating one of these four people, don't get too worried. These are extreme cases, and you can talk it out with your partner if their lifestyle is really becoming a problem.
Loving someone who lives in the extreme is difficult, but it's not their fault. They're actually good, caring people who might just need a little extra love and guidance.
