A lack of compromise should sound the alarms (Photo: iStock)

"If you or your partner is hiding something from the other, it is going to do inevitable damage to your relationship at some point and is a definite red flag," the report notes on why keeping secrets is another bad sign.

"I am not saying that it is wrong to point out the red flags," Nyambura added. "Because only you know what you like, what you have been through and whether it is something you can overlook."

She added that one thing she would consider a true red flag is a situation where a person shouts at you, especially when you have not even made them angry or had an argument. "It means that this person could be having a problem of their own and that they may be projecting it onto you."

Titus Kirui said that co-dependency, extreme jealousy and mistrust are other warning signs. "Many couples depend on each other on some issues. But it gets emotionally exhausting. When two people rely exclusively on each other, to the point where someone wants to own someone exclusively for emotional or physical support, it becomes unhealthy," Kirui said.

One Tony Ouma, a contributor to the discussion, pointed out that a lack of anger management and ego-centric nature are more clues that not all is right in the relationship.

"You find that this person throws and breaks things in the house during an argument. Or that this person is not willing to compromise with you or acknowledge your point of view. Physical abuse is also a huge no-no," he said.

The Independent also notes that a lack of compromise should sound the alarms. "If you notice that you and your partner are having an almost impossible time compromising, perhaps one of you refuses to budge on a particular issue, then there may be something seriously wrong with your relationship," the report noted.

Nyambura Ngigi said that physical abuse often starts with subtle signs, like aggression that then turns into "that first slap." "The next day it will be two slaps, and after that, it could be a terrible beating," Ngigi said.

"Emotional abuse, such as your partner putting you down is a tell-tale sign. They could try to lower your self-esteem just to bring you down to a level where they can control you," she added.

Listen to The Standard's Twitter Space on red flags in relationships here.