It's no mystery that sometimes relationships don't work out. Though, they don't always end when they should.
Deborah Krevalin is using the video-sharing app TikTok to reach a wide audience with her relationship advice. As a licensed psychotherapist, Krevalin used her expertise in a recent video to shed light on the subtle signs that may indicate a breakdown in communication and connection within a romantic partnership.
This is a day in the life of a couple who has given up on each other.
Describing "a day in the life of a couple who have given up on the relationship and each other," Krevalin paints a bleak picture of two people who have become isolated within their own relationship.
The day starts with an absence of the basic pleasantries that often fuel a couple's connection.
No words are exchanged in the morning, and no texts or calls are made during the day.
It's not just the morning when they isolate from each other. The partners' lack of mutual interest manifests in their daily routine as well.
"Neither partner reaches out during the day. No text message, no phone call saying, hey, how's your day going? What do you want to do for dinner? None of that. Partners are focused solely on themselves and their own needs," Krevalin says.
Waking up and going through the day like this can be a harsh reality. What can a couple who are experiencing this do?
According to psychologist Sandra E. Cohen, Ph.D., people often feel isolated in a relationship due to communication. But what happens when the lack of communication doesn't stop when they get home at the end of the day?
Dinners are eaten alone with no plans to catch up about each other's day.
When one comes home at "6:00 with some sushi" and the other an "hour later with a salad," there's no intention of sharing a meal or spending time together. Instead, they eat separately, reflecting a profound disconnect. Their evenings are spent in different rooms, engaging in solitary activities.
"They don't eat together. In fact, they don't show any interest in spending any time together. No bonding, no nothing. They're just merely existing, sharing space, like roommates," Krevalin says.
What once might have been a loving relationship has transformed into a situation where two individuals are "just merely existing," their connection lost.
The lack of interaction and engagement extends into the bedroom.
Before going off to sleep, there's no conversation, no affectionate gestures, and not even a word of acknowledgment, whether they share a bed or sleep separately.
"The partners may sleep in separate bedrooms, but if they share a bed, there's no chatting. There's no snuggling. There's no real interaction of any kind. The couple is beyond unhappy because there's a loneliness factor that's pervading. They're totally disconnected," Krevalin adds.
Krevalin's depiction resonates as a cautionary tale, offering insight into what can happen when couples allow communication to break down and fail to prioritize their relationship.
The depiction is not merely an abstract concept but a reflection of a real crisis that many couples face.
What can be learned from Krevalin's observations? Perhaps a warning that paying attention to the small details, the simple acts of kindness, communication, and interest in one's partner, is crucial in maintaining a healthy relationship. And what should people who feel they are in a lonely relationship?
Cohen revealed that there are four things partners should consider when feeling lonely in a relationship. She advises to "communicate clearly and effectively, "be more vulnerable with each other," "spend time together," and, if all else doesn't work, "consider the possibility of ending the relationship."
Latest Stories
-
OMCs to implement GH¢1.0 Energy Sector Levy from June 16, 2025
13 minutes -
T-bills auction: Government fails to meet target; but rejects GH¢1.095bn of bids
31 minutes -
NPP doesn’t give chance to non-performing candidates – Kennedy Agyapong
42 minutes -
Roland Garros: Alcaraz completes epic comeback against Sinner to claim title
43 minutes -
Obaasima donates over 2,000 sanitary pads to mark Menstrual Hygiene Day, empowering girls in Western Region
2 hours -
Tension in Effiduase as family rejects destoolment of chief who resisted controversial sale of COVID-19 cemetery land
2 hours -
Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2025 concludes with new global alliances and concrete commitments for a sustainable future
3 hours -
GPL 2024/25: Hearts of Oak beat Samartex to finish fourth
3 hours -
GPL 2024/2025: Bechem United clinch win in final home match against Young Apostles
3 hours -
GPL 2024/25: Asante Kotoko end season in fifth after Vision FC defeat
3 hours -
Economic Fighters League condemns ‘D-Levy’ as symbol of deepening inequality
3 hours -
2024/25 GPL: Dreams FC thrash Legon Cities 4-1 to end season on a high
3 hours -
Vision FC stun Asante Kotoko with 3-1 victory in Tema
3 hours -
2024/2025 GPL: Bibiani Gold Stars claim Ghana Premier League title after win over Accra Lions
3 hours -
Ghana Chamber of Mines appoints Kenneth Ashigbey as new CEO
3 hours