Here's a look into what a karmic relationship is, the common signs you might be in one, and how to know when it's time to leave.

In this way, karmic relationships are like guides or teachers. And usually, they're temporary. "They're meant to help you grow at soul level in often difficult push-pull ways," says Shannon Kaiser, author of The Self-Love Experiment. "But usually they are not intended to last a long time. This is because you are coming together in this life to clear karma between each other. It's often a balancing out of a bad experience from a past life."

The most obvious sign is you feel that you've known the person before, Paul says. "Sometimes you get a very good feeling about this, but sometimes there is some fear attached, depending on what the karma is."

These relationships are tumultuous. "If drama is the foundation for your love affair, chances are you're in a karmic relationship," says Kaiser. The situation may even become toxic—a sign that the dynamic must be healed, or ended.

Did you notice a lot of red flags, even in the early stages of the relationship? Sometimes those triggers are part of the very lesson the relationship is meant to teach you, whether that means learning how to heal your own toxic behaviors you're bringing into a relationship or how to avoid such unhealthy dynamics in the future.

"If you feel frustrated and misunderstood, you are most likely in a karmic relationship," Kaiser adds. This is because karmic relationships are rarely a perfect union; they're about growth, usually through painful means.

For whatever reason, and it may be a feeling you can't quite place, you find their presence to be heavy and begrudging. Yet despite the unpleasantry, you don't want to let go—even though you know you should.

Karmic relationships quickly become all-consuming, even despite the aforementioned issues like inexplicable tension or frustration.

"Usually there is a lot of push and pull and miscommunication," Kaiser notes. These miscommunications can help show us what we value and expect in a relationship or where healing needs to take place.

Things are never quite consistent, and while you may have good, even wonderful days, where everything seems perfect, there's a part of you that knows it's only a matter of time before things go south.

Those highs and lows tend to repeat themselves, over and over. Similarly, you may run into the same issues that carried over from a past relationship, indicating the lesson that needs learning.

Karmic relationships have a tendency of becoming a codependent relationship quickly. You may feel there's no other option but to give them all of your time and energy.

This person will bring all your fears to the surface: about love, your future, and your relationship together in general. Any past traumas will be brought to light—there's no running from it.

The extreme nature of the karmic relationship roller coaster can bring the worst out of the most level-headed of people. You may turn into someone you don't recognize, or even like, around this person. As Paul explains, "unless people know how to learn from unresolved issues in the past, they can create huge problems in the relationship."

All the ups and downs, miscommunications, and codependence become energetically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, especially when they're around.

You may make excuses for your partner despite all of these things because your connection is so strong and you feel like you're meant to be.

Because karmic relationships can often become unhealthy, it's important to recognize that the point is not to stay in that toxic dynamic. The point is to learn from what's not working, and to leave. Eventually, when you're ready and have learned the lessons you're meant to learn, you will both move on.

Here's our full guide on when to leave a relationship. For karmic relationships in particular, Kaiser also recommends seeing a medium, psychic, energetic healer, or past-life specialist to learn more about the karma you're working to balance and clear.

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