Have you ever met someone and fallen for them so hard, so fast that you thought they could be your soulmate before you even celebrated your first month anniversary? If things took a negative turn just as quickly, it may have been a karmic relationship. It’s one that’s defined by a deep connection, passion and attraction, but it’s also filled with drama and toxic behaviors.
“Karmic relationships tend to be extremely intense connections early on and include a lot of drama, frequent highs and lows and red flags, but also include a lot of passion,” explains marriage and family therapist Leanna Stockard. She says the turbulence isn’t healthy, but the strong bond the couple has feels so good, they keep coming back. When things are good, they’re amazing, but when they’re not, it’s devastating and because of some of the behaviors associated with these romances, they can be considered abusive relationships.
If you’ve ever seen the show “Parks and Recreation,” the characters Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman) and Tammy 2, his ex-wife (played by Offerman’s real-life wife Megan Mullally) are a classic example of a karmic relationship. They alternate between passionate love and fierce hatred, and they’re basically toxic to each other. According to Stockard, these are red flags to help you spot a karmic relationship:
- You have a lot of intense ups and downs
- You can’t communicate effectively without things escalating
- You make up with passion instead of conversation
- You feel like this is the only person for you, even after only knowing them a few days or weeks
Source: USA Today