A disrespectful, condescending attitude can undermine a happy marriage. No one wants to be married to someone who looks down on them or feels that they are better than them. Also, no one wants to spend the rest of their lives with someone who doesn’t respect their contributions to the marriage.

How Condescension Ruins Marriages

The hardest thing about being married to a condescending spouse is the constant pressure to do or say the right thing. It becomes impossible to let your guard down and enjoy the marriage, and can do a number of your sense of self.

Being married to a condescending spouse is also very lonely. You can’t share your true thoughts and feelings with your spouse because you don’t want to give them an opportunity to make a snide comment about it.

Sadly, many people do not realize that their husband or wife has a superiority complex until they have been together for a while. This is because a superiority complex is often mistaken for confidence during the honeymoon period.

Living with a Condescending Spouse

Being married to a condescending spouse often means constantly walking on eggshells and trying not to say or do the wrong thing. Unfortunately, this is no way to live.

The best weapon against condescension is communication in marriage.  Your spouse may not realize that they are being condescending or that their behavior is causing marital problems, so you need to tell them. Maybe they have been doing it so long that it has become part of their personality!

The best time to bring it up is soon after they do or say something condescending. This makes it easier for you to explain where you are coming from because you are able to use the incident as an example. Also, you mind is still clear and you can be very specific about what was said or done and what needs to change.

The second step is showering them with admiration. This stops your partner from feeling as if they need to prove themselves to you by playing up their superiority. For instance, if your spouse makes a comment about how superior they are, try agreeing with them! Sometimes, that’s all you need to disarm them.

Just because your husband or wife has a bit of a superiority complex doesn’t mean that you can’t have a happy marriage. With the above tips, you can deal with the issue before it destroys your marriage.