Relationships are hard to maintain. Every single relationship has its ups and downs, and ideally, you and your partner should grow together, but unfortunately, sometimes instead of growing together, you and your partner are growing apart. If this happens in your relationship, and you feel like you’re only growing further apart from your partner, never to become closer again, the relationship may need some work. But how to be sure this is happening to you? Here are some signs you should look out for, according to experts:

1. You Feel indifferent

You didn’t get a text from him the whole day, or you say something mean, and he doesn’t even react to that. This is a huge red flag. Too many times you feel like you just don’t care, and the reason for that is that your affection towards each other is starting to fade.

2. You avoid each other

You don’t really want to see each other. You don’t really feel like spending time together or even when you are together, you’re spending time in separate corners of the house rather than together. This is quite often a sign of partners growing apart. This is the right time to look at each other’s eyes and ask, “What’s really going on here?”. Communication and honesty are key in situations like this and the situation won’t be solved until you both sit down and talk out the things that are bothering you.

3. You fight too often

Fighting all the time—and because of unusual and stupid things—is a sign of overall dissatisfaction in one partner with the other, or it can be mutual discontentedness. The growing apart can be intensified even more if you leave your fights unsolved.

4. You stopped sharing with one another

Both think that some things are not important to mention when getting asked, “How was your day?”. If those things start increasing, you’ll end up just saying, “Fine”. You will lose interest in sharing things, and more often than not, leave misunderstandings and miscommunications uncleared up. But that’s alright. It happens in life and relationships. Just make sure it doesn’t go so far that one day, you never turn back.

5. You feel stuck

It is known that couples who try new things together are happier, and it doesn’t mean that you have to be daredevils, but being stuck in a rut is not good for a relationship. This will make you feel like you’re not going anywhere with your partner. You stop imagining and talking about your future together, stop planning weekends and holidays together, and If you’re not consciously making an effort to make those plans with your partner, it’s a subtle sign that you might not see them in it.

6. You’re not having sex anymore

Or any kind of intimacy. No affection and no nurturing can only show that the relationship won’t last. Not having sex or any sexual affection towards your partner is usually one of the biggest signs that you’re growing apart.

7. You start caring about other people more

A sign that you and your partner are drifting apart is when you feel like time spent with your friends is more important and fun than time spent with your partner. Spending time with friends and family is important, but if you can’t find the balance in spending time with your significant other and your friends and family, then you have a serious problem.

When you realize that you’re growing apart, what should you do?

Just because you and your partner are growing apart, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your relationship has come to an end. Relationships are like living beings—they live, grow, or die. The path you’re going down doesn’t need to lead towards the end—you can redirect it. Make an effort—sit down and discuss what is happening, and this will be the first step towards growing back together.