9 Common Behaviors That Are Subtly Sabotaging Your Relationship

Making your cell phone the top priority

We live in a culture where we’re constantly checking our cell phones. But, this obsession comes at a cost, and the casualty of a technology obsession can be your personal relationship. “The most prevalent habit that sinks relationships is keeping your cell phone on, and looking at it every time it makes a noise while you’re with your partner,” says Carole Lieberman M.D., a psychiatrist in Beverly Hills, California. “Answering your phone is even worse than just looking at text messages or emails, and this tells your partner that they are not as important as whoever else is trying to reach you.” Dr. Lieberman says a solution is to turn off your phone when you’re having dinner, being intimate, or doing anything else where your partner expects your full attention. Here are signs you’re a cell phone addict.