When physical appearances take a toll on your relationship
Amrita Sharma
When couples fall in love they love the partner for who they are, how they make one feel and not just for how they look. But unfortunately, sometimes with time, couples start putting pressure on their partners to either change the way they look or to stay the way they looked when they first met.
In both the cases, there is a sense of resentment, stress and even a certain negativity that creeps in whenever the partner makes such demands related to the partners appearances.
Take the case of Rashi and Vidit. When they started seeing each other, Rashi was little on the plump side but not heavy enough to be called fat. Thats how it was even when they got married.
But with time when Rashi put on a little weight, Vidit started asking her lose some of it. He made things very difficult for me. He would ask me not to eat more, join a gym, go for a jog and he even started monitoring what I ate, which made me feel really angry. I love him and I know he wants me to look good, but that doesnt give him the right to make me feel so bad about myself. My appearance is my business, not his, she says.
Experts say that such controlling attitude towards a partner can cause severe damage since its directly related to the partners self-esteem. If pushed too far, it can cause irreparable damage.
Experts feel that while appearances should not be neglected or taken for granted, they should not be made the bone of contention between partners. Being controlling when it comes to your partners appearances, can also end up conveying that you are not ready to accept your partner for what and how they are. That can have serious ramifications on the relationship.
The Indian Express
