High levels of empathy can be detrimental to early relationships by increasing sensitivity to a partner’s unhappiness. This heightened empathy allows individuals to accurately perceive their partner's discontent, leading to emotional contagion where the empathic person absorbs their partner's negative emotions. This, in turn, can result in both partners being unhappy, which diminishes the likelihood of relationship success. Empathic individuals may struggle in relationships due to their tendency to feel deeply affected by partner dissatisfaction, while non-empathic partners might not be as affected, allowing for potential resolution of personal issues without resulting in mutual unhappiness. Furthermore, empathic people may find themselves being taken advantage of due to their kindness, resulting in a complex interplay of their willingness to support and the risk of exploitation. Recognizing threats early in a relationship tends to lead to premature disengagement, as opposed to identifying issues later on, which is associated with longer relationship duration and satisfaction.