At the end of a relationship, it’s normal to wonder where it all went wrong : When did this person become a stranger? How could our love story have turned into a psychological horror?

But while the breakdown of a partnership rarely happens overnight, it can begin with something as seemingly small as a sarcastic comment, relationship experts say.

A pointed dig is just one behavior that points to the underlying issue of contempt, which world-renowned relationship coach Dr. John Gottman identifies as the most destructive of the “four horsemen” predictors of an impending breakup.

Gottman’s research led him to classify contempt, criticism, defensiveness and stonewalling as the communication styles that often lead a relationship to fail , with contempt being the number one sign that a marriage is heading for divorce.

Below, we explore how contempt sneaks into a relationship and how it can be reversed with intentional efforts.

Contempt in a relationship is the biggest indicator of a breakup approaching (Focus…