10 signs your partner has a sense of entitlement in relationships (and what to do about it)

If you love someone, you want to do everything for them.

But sometimes it means letting them have a sense of entitlement in your relationship.

Entitlement is a term that can be used to describe a lot of different things.

But in relationships, it can often refer to the idea that someone has a certain level of control over their partner.

This can lead to problems, especially if the entitlement is based on feelings of superiority or self-importance.

Here are 10 signs your partner has a sense of entitlement in relationships and what to do about it.

1) They feel like they’re always right and you’re always wrong

When it comes to relationships, sometimes it seems like one person is always right and the other is always wrong.

And oftentimes, the people in our relationships feel entitled to the love and respect that we give them.

But the truth?

Nobody is always right and nobody is always wrong.

We all make mistakes, and our partners aren’t perfect either. And thinking that they deserve your love and respect just because they’re “right” all the time is a sign of a sense of entitlement in relationships.

And guess what?

It’s pretty much harmful to your relationship. How so?

Well, when you feel like your partner deserves your love and respect just because they’re right all the time, you’re going to get pretty upset when they’re wrong.

And as a result, you’ll probably end up fighting a lot more.

The truth is that if your partner is being mean to you or making hurtful comments, it’s not because they “deserve” your love and respect.

2) They require you to make them feel better about themselves

One of the most common signs of entitlement in relationships is the idea that your partner needs you to make them feel good about themselves.

This can be especially true if they have low self-esteem.

I know. You care about your partner very much, but you know what?

It’s important to realize that this is not a healthy dynamic, and you can’t fix it.

And as long as they depend on you for their happiness, they will never be able to truly love you, and they will always have a sense of control over your relationship because they know how to hurt your feelings and get back at you when they’re angry or upset.

Instead, you need to focus on your own happiness and realize that you are enough.

If your partner is unhappy, it’s their job to work on themselves and figure out how they can be happy without depending on you.

So what can you do to save your relationship?

Begin with yourself. Stop searching for external fixes to sort out your life, deep down, you know this isn’t working.

And that’s because until you look within and unleash your personal power, you’ll never find the satisfaction and fulfillment you’re searching for.

I learned this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. His life mission is to help people restore balance to their lives and unlock their creativity and potential. He has an incredible approach that combines ancient shamanic techniques with a modern-day twist.

In his excellent free video, Rudá explains effective methods to achieve what you want in life and to overcome problems related to your relationships.

So if you want to build a better relationship with yourself, unlock your endless potential, and put passion at the heart of everything you do, start now by checking out his genuine advice.

Here’s a link to the free video again.

3) They make you feel bad about yourself or your relationship

When someone feels like they deserve something from someone else, that person might also feel like it’s okay to treat others badly.

And in relationships, entitlement can often lead to some pretty hurtful comments and insults.

Here are some examples:

  • “You’re so frigid.”
  • “You’re so selfish.”
  • “You’re so annoying.”
  • “You’re such a loser.”
  • “I would never do that. You must be stupid if you did that. “

Sounds familiar?

Yes, it’s true!

If you’ve been in a relationship with someone who is constantly putting you down, there’s a chance they might be projecting their own feelings of inadequacy onto you.

In other words, they might actually feel like they are too bad to deserve anything good in life.

And because of this, they’ll often try to make themselves feel better by putting other people down.

It’s a classic. “I’m not good enough, so I’m going to make sure you are not good enough either.”

This is pretty sad, but it does happen. And it’s important to recognize the signs of this behavior in a relationship.

4) You start feeling like you’re not valuable

pexels shotpot 6337500 10 signs your partner has a sense of entitlement in relationships (and what to do about it)

In relationships, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because our partner is “the one,” they must be treated fairly and with respect.

But this isn’t always the case.

In fact, sometimes the opposite is true. The more we love someone, the more we start to believe that they’re better than us and therefore deserve to be treated better.

And this can lead to some pretty unhealthy behavior.

So how do you know if you’re in a relationship with someone who treats you like a doormat?

Here are some signs:

  • They tell you that your opinions and feelings don’t matter.
  • They make fun of what you say or how you feel.
  • They make jokes at your expense.
  • They make decisions without consulting you.
  • They blame everything on you or your actions even when it’s not your fault.
  • They ignore your feelings and needs completely and focus only on their own.

And these are just a few examples.

Sadly, if your partner is treating you like this, it means that they don’t see you as their equal.

They don’t respect your thoughts or feelings and therefore, treat you like a lower form of life.

And this is a pretty horrible feeling.

I mean, who wants to be disrespected and ignored?

Nobody!

5) You start to feel inferior to them

Ever felt that your partner is “better” than you?

This is a pretty common feeling, especially if your partner is very successful.

You might start to feel like they’re God’s gift to the world and that they deserve something better than you.

And this can lead to some pretty unhealthy behavior.

Think I’m exaggerating?

Actually, I’m not because if you’ve ever been in a relationship with someone who treats you badly, then chances are you’ve started to develop some pretty negative beliefs about yourself and your life.

You might even feel like you’re not good enough for them or that you don’t deserve the love they give you.

And guess what?

This can be pretty damaging because it can lead to feelings of low self-worth, worthlessness, and even depression.  It can also prevent us from being able to recognize when we’re being mistreated or taken advantage of by our partners.

In fact, if someone feels like their partner is treating them poorly, then they’ll often try their best to justify the behavior.

They’ll often blame themselves or their partner and try to convince themselves that everything is fine.

But this is just a coping mechanism.

The truth is, it’s a way of trying to avoid losing the relationship or confronting their partner about the mistreatment they’ve been receiving.

And it doesn’t solve anything and actually makes things worse because it prevents us from being able to recognize when we’re being taken advantage of by our partners.

6) They’re always in control and never let you have a say in anything

Ever wondered why your partner always tries to take control of your relationship?

Maybe they want to plan everything and tell you what to do all the time.

Or maybe they’re always telling you what to do and making decisions for you without even asking your opinion.

Whatever the reason is, the simple truth is that this is pretty toxic behavior.

And it can make you feel pretty helpless, powerless, and controlled.

It can also make you feel like you have no say in your relationship or that your opinions don’t matter.

And this can be extremely damaging to our self-esteem and confidence because it makes us feel like we have no control over our own lives.

That’s why it’s so important to never let anyone take control of your relationship or tell you what to do all the time.

As long as they’re not hurting you in any way, then I believe that everyone should be allowed to have their own opinions and say in their relationships.  It’s the only way we can truly be happy and confident in ourselves.

I know. You want to make your partner feel comfortable in your relationship.

But when it comes to relationships, you might be surprised to hear that there’s one very important connection you’ve probably been overlooking:

The relationship you have with yourself.

I learnt about this from the shaman Rudá Iandê. In his incredible, free video on cultivating healthy relationships, he gives you the tools to plant yourself at the center of your world.

And once you start doing that, there’s no telling how much happiness and fulfillment you can find within yourself and with your relationships.

So what makes Rudá’s advice so life-changing?

Well, he uses techniques derived from ancient shamanic teachings, but he puts his own modern-day twist on them. He may be a shaman, but he’s experienced the same problems in love as you and I have.

And using this combination, he’s identified the areas where most of us go wrong in our relationships.

So if you’re tired of your relationships never working out, of feeling undervalued, unappreciated, or unloved, this free video will give you some amazing techniques to change your love life around.

Make the change today and cultivate the love and respect you know you deserve.

Click here to watch the free video.

7) They take what they want from you and give nothing in return

Wanna hear the biggest myth about relationships?

It goes something like this: “If you want to be in a relationship with someone, you have to be willing to give them everything. You can’t expect anything in return.”

This is such a stupid myth. It completely goes against how life works. And it makes you feel like a doormat.

Unfortunately, this myth is just another way of saying that you have no value as a person and that your needs don’t matter.

The simple truth is, people who feel entitled in relationships often believe that it’s their partner’s job to make them happy.

They think that they deserve love and affection, no matter what they do or how they act.

But the truth?

No matter how much your partner loves you, if they’re taking advantage of you or not treating you with respect, then it’s your job to put a stop to it.

What’s so great about giving everything and getting nothing in return?

It’s like you’re a human doormat. It’s not fair to you or your partner.

If your partner is taking advantage of you, then it’s time to call them out on it and make them treat you with respect.

Don’t put up with it any longer. You deserve so much better than that.

8) They make decisions without consulting you or listening to what you have to say

Do you notice that your partner makes decisions based on what they see as their best interests?

Well, to be totally honest, this is a pretty selfish way to act.

And it’s definitely not a good quality in a relationship.

If your partner is making decisions without listening to you or consulting you, then they’re not really putting your needs first.

This isn’t a good way to live life. It doesn’t work when we’re kids, and it doesn’t work when we’re adults.

If you’re in this kind of relationship, then you deserve better. You deserve someone who will listen to what you have to say and take your needs into account when making decisions. Why?

Because in a healthy relationship, both partners should have a say in what goes on.

But if you have a partner who doesn’t listen to you, then they’re basically treating you like a child.

They’re trying to control you and make all the decisions for you. And that’s not cool.

If your partner isn’t listening to what you have to say and making decisions without consulting you, then it’s time for them to shape up or ship out!

No one wants an unresponsive partner who can’t be bothered to care about your thoughts and feelings. If this is happening in your relationship, then it’s time for things to change.

9) They always try to undermine you and make you feel bad about yourself

pexels ron lach 9497923 10 signs your partner has a sense of entitlement in relationships (and what to do about it)

If your partner is always trying to undermine you and make you feel bad about yourself, then it’s time to get out of that relationship. Why?

Because it won’t do any good for anyone who’s involved.

No one should ever have to endure a partner who makes them feel like a failure or makes them question their self-worth.

If this is happening in your relationship, then it’s not just affecting you—it’s also hurting your partner.

When someone puts down their partner, they’re putting down themselves as well. It doesn’t work that way!

You deserve better than that! If your partner is treating you this way, then it’s time to end the relationship.

But how can you know they’re trying to undermine you?

Well, it’s pretty simple. If your partner is constantly trying to make you feel bad about yourself and make you think you’re not good enough, then they’re trying to undermine your confidence.

And that’s never good.

If someone is doing this to you, then it doesn’t matter if they’re saying it outright or if they’re doing it in a more subtle way. Either way, it’s not cool or acceptable.

10) They only feel satisfied when you get them exactly what they want

Think about this for a moment. If your partner only feels satisfied when you get them exactly what they want, then you’re no longer in a relationship—you’re in a business transaction.

And that’s not cool. Why? Because relationships aren’t about any kind of transaction.

The only thing you should be transacting in relationships is love and affection, not things like money, gifts, and favors.

If your partner only feels satisfied when you get them exactly what they want, then they’re not in a relationship—they’re in a business transaction.

And that’s never cool. No matter how you look at it, your partner is trying to take advantage of you by making you feel obligated to give them things or do things for them.

If someone is doing this to you, then it’s time to end the relationship and walk away before they can take any more advantage of you! It’s just not worth it.

5 things to do to work through entitlement in relationships

1) Remember that you deserve better than that

You deserve better than someone who feels entitled to you.

And you should try to remember that every time your partner puts you down or makes you feel like you aren’t good enough.

2) Don’t give into their demands

If they’re trying to make you feel guilty, then don’t let them.  Don’t feel bad for not doing something they want, and don’t give into their demands.

Instead, just tell them no and walk away because otherwise, you’re only encouraging them to take advantage of you.

3) Don’t feel guilty about walking away from a relationship like this

You deserve better than someone who feels entitled to you.

If your partner is trying to take advantage of you or make you feel obligated to give them things, then it’s time to end the relationship and walk away before they can do any more damage.

It’s just not worth it!

4) Date someone who treats you well

Have you ever thought about dating someone else instead of your partner?

Well, if all these signs are familiar to you, you should start thinking about it!

Just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean you should stay in it.

If your partner is treating you badly, then it’s time to move on and date someone who treats you better.

5) Put yourself first

Whenever you’re in a relationship with someone who feels entitled to you, it’s hard to put yourself first.

But that’s exactly what you need to do!

You need to put yourself first and protect your own interests.  If your partner is making you feel bad for not doing something they want, then don’t let them guilt-trip you into doing it.

Final thoughts

All in all, entitlement in relationships is a terrible thing.

It’s not fair to you, and it’s definitely not fair to anyone else.

Let’s be honest: If your partner doesn’t think they deserve everything that you do, they’re likely not in a healthy relationship.

And if they do think they deserve everything, it can make for an incredibly difficult relationship to have.

The best thing you can do when you notice entitlement in a relationship is to walk away from it as quickly as possible or to make your partner understand you deserve better than this.

Picture of Nato Lagidze

Nato Lagidze

Nato is a writer and a researcher with an academic background in psychology. She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. Writing about recent trends in the movie industry is her other hobby, alongside music, art, culture, and social influences. She dreams to create an uplifting documentary one day, inspired by her experiences with strangers.

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