Do you have friends, family, a partner… and yet you sometimes feel alone? This feeling is not that rare. According to a 2024 survey by the American Psychiatric Association, one in three people feel lonely at least once a week. And sometimes, it’s not the big arguments that push others away, but an accumulation of small daily habits.
These habits that alienate your loved ones on a daily basis
In an article published on October 9, 2025, the American magazine Parade describes ten behaviors that can weaken a relationship when they are repeated: cutting people off, bringing the conversation back to oneself, multiplying invitations without making them a reality or regularly canceling without proposing a new date. For the other, the message may end up becoming: “You’re not really a priority.”
Other habits that alienate your loved ones: checking your phone while a loved one is talking, confiding without checking if they are available to listen or even systematically criticizing.
The American magazine Parade also talks about staying on the surface when it comes to talking about your emotions. Over time, the other person may feel a lack of reciprocity and see their emotional limits take second place.
What psychology says about these habits
A study published in the scientific journal International Journal of Listening asked 115 participants to evaluate different responses to the same problem. Responses based on active listening made them feel understood more than advice or simple nods.
Reformulating, recognizing what the other person feels and asking open questions therefore allows you to show that you are listening, rather than immediately looking for a solution.
In an article published on February 28, 2023 on the Psychology Today website, therapist Randi Gunther explains that these small, repeated discrepancies can, over time, weaken confidence.
The American magazine Parade suggests a simple question before answering someone who confides: “Do you want advice or just a listening ear?”
How to change your behavior?
No need to upset everything. Start with small actions: avoid interrupting, put your phone away when a loved one is talking to you, and ask them what they need before giving them advice.
Then, every evening, take a few seconds to express specific gratitude to someone close to you. Simple gestures, but which can make exchanges more attentive and preserve the links that matter.