The majority of people who seek a romantic relationship with another person desire a mutually satisfying, respectful, and fulfilling partnership. Unfortunately, some relationships contain an emotionally abusive dynamic that can cause great harm to the abused partner over time, and may yet go undetected.

Because it does not leave obvious physical scars, emotional abuse can be difficult to identify in some cases. If you find yourself feeling unworthy, incapable, or questioning reality when you are around your partner this merits a closer look at what is going on in the relationship. Here are 5 signals that your relationship is emotionally abusive:

1. You are the subject of criticism on a regular basis - how you do things, who you are, and even your mental stability are called into question. You may be called names or more subtly given "suggestions" on how to do things.

2. Your partner discourages or prohibits you from seeing other people who are important to you. This could mean family members or friends, anyone that takes you away from the control of your partner or who could challenge the way you are being treated. Your partner may also discourage you from pursuing work opportunities or education, in order to keep you under control and more dependent.

3. When you get home at the end of the day, you feel compelled by your partner to report your day's activities. Once you've done that, you field criticism and feel the need to justify and defend your choices. You might get to the point where you choose activities that you know your partner will approve of, just to avoid the confrontation.

4. When it comes to sex, it becomes more a way to control you than to express love between the two of you.

5. You have a general sense of "walking on eggshells" in the relationship. Occasionally you may be on the receiving end of a kind or generous act, but it is a way to manipulate you back into the relationship. Once you are drawn back in, you find that the emotional abuse cycle begins again.