Soul Ties: Types, Signs And How To Break Free

Signs Of Soul Ties

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In This Article

Key Pointers

  • A soul tie is an intense feeling for someone that can be formed out of sex, marriage, business, or social connection.
  • You know you have formed a soul tie with someone when you cannot stop obsessing over them.
  • A good soul tie can fill your life with happiness.
  • A toxic soul tie can take over your life by controlling, dominating, and manipulating you.

What Is A Soul Tie?

A soul tie is a strong and potent connection that you feel for a person. It is a spiritual link that consumes your body and mind as you are into them mentally, physically, or emotionally. It is not like any other relationship since it has a profound and lasting effect on you. When you find your soul tie, you might experience a drastic change in yourself. Sometimes, it can take over you and your life. This stronghold of a soul tie is what makes the bonding unique.


protip_icon Do remember
A soul tie can form such deep roots in your soul that you might not move on even years after breaking it up.

What Are The Types Of Soul Ties?

Not every connection is the same, and soul ties are classified by the way they are formed and the purpose it serves. Let’s learn and understand different soul ties’ meanings.

1. Sexual soul tie

Sexual soul tie

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It is formed after a couple gets physically intimate. Sex is a physical bond that can connect two people mentally. It is a lot deeper than any other connection. A couple does not necessarily have to be married to share this bond. And the level of intimacy gets stronger as the relationship progresses.

Narrating such depth of intimacy, entertainment blogger Sade Gardner recalls her sexual and spiritual bond with one of her partners. She notes, “It’s just sex; I had convinced myself months prior to initiating this kind of relationship. Our sexual exchanges had intensified, which is why I didn’t understand why I’d come home feeling sad and tormented as if some demonic spirit was roving in my body and wouldn’t let me be. I didn’t recognize myself, and then I remembered a term I came across years ago. Soul tie (i).”

2. Emotional soul tie

It occurs between people who are emotionally attached. For instance, you turn to your best friend whenever you are in trouble because you know they will be emotionally available for you, come what may. However, this soul tie is risky as it can be one-sided with heightened expectations. And if the expectations are not met, the disappointment can be too painful to handle.

3. Protective soul tie

This soul tie seems like the helping hand or savior figure who comes to your rescue whenever you are in need. The attraction for the helper increases over time, and a soul tie is born out of gratefulness and indebtedness. However, this bond can turn toxic if the helper takes undue advantage of the other person’s gratitude.

4. Spiritual soul tie

It is a connection formed on a deeper mental level. It helps you progress spiritually through knowledge and fulfillment, and gives joy and contentment.

Gardner further elaborates on her male partner’s viewpoint on soul ties, in his words, “You know how you can feel your hands rubbing up on each other? It felt like my soul was rubbing up on another soul. It felt like my soul and your soul were intertwining and mingling, and it felt so good.”

Even this bond can be one-sided. If this soul tie has malice in their heart, they can cause tremendous mental and physical damage to the other person.

5. Permanent soul tie

Marriage can form soul tie

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It can occur between people who willingly form a partnership, be it business or marriage. Here the voluntary connectedness deepens the bond that can eventually become a soul tie when a partner starts to rely on the other or when there is strong interdependence among the partners.

6. Social soul tie

The bond is created through social connections. It can be formed between friends or people belonging to the same group. The interlinking point here could be the shared interests. Common passions make two people understand each other, generating affinity and care. However, it can get troublesome if one person fakes to get close to the other person.


protip_icon Quick tip
The moment you justify your soul tie’s poor or controlling behavior, know that your relationship has taken a toxic turn, and it’s time you reconsider your decision to stay by their side.

What Are The Signs Of Soul Ties?

Soul ties have a positive and negative side. It takes time to form that connection, and you may not even realize how deeply attached you get. Let’s understand how it can affect you.

1. You experience a deep connection

Presence of a deep connection or synergy with a person is the primary characteristic of a soul tie. You yearn for their attention, and their presence or absence makes a huge difference. It is instinctual, and you might not be able to express your bond to someone else.

2. You think about them all the time

You think about them all the time

Image: IStock

Not a day goes by when you don’t think about this person. You may not even be in touch with each other, but you still cannot end your thoughts about them. You may also get their dreams often.

3. You love your life more than you did

Connecting with a soul tie makes your life more beautiful and appealing than before because your heart overflows with strong emotions. Your feelings, love, attachment, and even anger can amplify. You deeply empathize with them and can feel their pain, happiness, and other emotions as your own.

4. You endure their presence

A soul tie often enters your life when you need validation, guidance, support, or love. They bring a significant change in your life, and you feel like you are meant to be together.

5. You sense knowing them forever

You may have met them recently, but your soul tie has latched on so firmly that you feel you have known them for a long time. So you get along with them and enjoy their company as they make you contentful.

6. You consider them a part of life

You are so attached to them that you start feeling they are a part of you. In a romantic relationship, you might think they complete you in every sense. Being with them makes you immensely happy and satisfied.

7. You seek their approval for everything

Your soul tie is your go-to for every decision. You screen your thoughts through them since you rely heavily on their judgment. When they are not around, you either become restless or start thinking as they would.

8. You feel they are unmatchable

Once you meet a soul tie, every other relationship seems not so important. You feel so strongly for them that no one else appeals to you. You start believing they are the best thing to have happened to you and no one else can ever match up to them.

When your soul tie connection overwhelms you so much that it starts interfering with your life, the bond might affect you adversely in the following ways.

9. You seem lost without them

Being away from a soul tie is painful. You become so emotionally dependent that you feel someone has stolen a piece of you. If they quarrel and threaten to leave, you might panic and feel insecure.

10. You neglect your friends and family for them

Your soul tie becomes the center of your universe, and you start neglecting every other relationship to focus on them. You lose your social life and other connections. Eventually, you might also lose interest in your hobbies and other activities.

11. You feel plagued by insecurities

Your soul tie may or may not have made you feel so, but you are constantly troubled by the thought that you are not enough for them. When you keep them on a pedestal, you will feel lacking in every aspect that might steal your self-confidence.

12. You feel like breaking free

At long last, your obsession with the soul tie can get tiresome as you feel trapped. If your soul tie is manipulative, the controlled relationship might suffocate you, and you might want to break it.
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Is A Soul Tie Different From A Soulmate?

Soulmates last a lifetime

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Yes, they seem similar, especially when considering how to know if someone is your soulmate. However, they are different in the following ways.

  1. A soulmate connection happens when you bond with a person on a deep level but are needy for their love and attention. A soul tie, too, is a deep connection, but it often ends up with one partner becoming over-dependent on the other.
  2. A soulmate union is mutual as the couple feels equally attached and loves each other deeply. But a soul tie can be one-sided, wherein one person feels connected, while it is a regular friendship for the other.
  3. Soulmates do not exercise control over one another, whereas a soul tie can exercise control over the other as they know their vulnerabilities and can use them to their advantage.
  4. Soulmates might need constant nurturing to keep the relationship going. While soul ties are intense bonds that can sustain even with a lack of effort.
  5. Soulmates positively influence each other’s lives. But soul ties can impact positively or negatively.

What Dangers Do Soul Ties Pose?

The risks associated with soul ties are significant and can manifest in various ways:

  • Individuals might become excessively dependent, intertwining their identity with others and complicating decision-making individually.
  •  Deep connections can lead to feeling stuck in a relationship, especially if it becomes challenging, causing emotional or financial strain.
  • Obsession and envy may develop, dominating thoughts and actions and leading to possessiveness and anxiety when apart.
  • In abusive relationships, the formation of soul ties can make leaving difficult. Damaged self-worth impairs impartial decision-making in such situations.
  • Unhealthy soul ties can negatively alter behavior, eroding boundaries and values. It also encourages the habit of making excuses for a partner’s behaviors.

How To Break A Soul Tie?

A soul tie might get overbearing if you cannot keep it parallel to your current relationships or life. If you think it is hampering your life, here are some tips to get free.

1. Identify the soul tie

Identifying the type of soul tie takes work. For example, if you associate with a sexual soul tie and are getting obsessed with them lately, admit it. Once you foresee it as toxic, you can get out of it.

2. Talk it out

Talking to soul tie

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You can engage in a deep verbal interaction with your soul tie and tell them how their actions affect you. Perhaps they are unaware of their behavior, and you pointing it out can help them work on it. But if they are unwilling to see the reality, then it’s time you move on and away.

3. Disconnect yourself

Once you decide to break ties with them, do not look back. Let them know your intention and start detaching yourself. You can cut contact, unfollow them on social media, and get rid of all their gifts, belongings, and other reminders.

4. Practice forgiveness

You are bound to feel hurt after doing a lot for your soul tie and getting nothing in return. But hanging onto negative feelings will only pinch you. Instead, forgive them and yourself. Remind yourself that you had some beautiful experiences, and now it is the time to move on.

5. Seek professional help

In matters of the soul, breaking up is not easy. The struggle could be more than you anticipated. When you feel you cannot cope, try consulting a spiritual healer or a mental health professional who can guide you through.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do soul ties go away?

Soul ties last a long time. Even physical separation cannot guarantee complete detachment. However, if you are determined to get over a toxic soul tie, you can train yourself to move on.

2. How do soul ties affect men?

Soul ties affect men as much as it affects women. However, they may not always be as expressive as women when showing their emotional attachment. They weigh their actions with logic rather than emotions and mask their feelings rationally.

3. Can I have two soul ties at the same time?

Yes. You can have multiple soul ties. However, the type of bond would be unique for each of them.

4. What are the impacts of having a soul tie?

Soul ties can have positive and negative effects, depending on whether it is healthy or unhealthy. Healthy ties can lead to feelings of love, fulfillment, and support, while unhealthy ties can lead to jealousy, possessiveness, codependency, emotional distress, and a distorted view of relationships.

5. Can soul ties be healed?

While soul ties can be broken, broken soul ties are difficult to heal. If you wish to re-establish a connection with a broken soul tie, you must give it time and nurture for it to be as strong a bond as it was before.

6. How do I know if I need to break a soul tie?

If the soul tie is impacting you negatively, you must break free. These effects can range anywhere from feelings of entrapment and insecurity to feelings of obsession, possessiveness, and codependency. The soul tie may leave you feeling emotionally drained, impact personal growth and identity, and trap you in a toxic cycle. In such cases, you need to remove yourself from the tie to heal.

When you feel an emotion deep within your soul, it is natural to believe that this person is meant to be in your life. However, you will most likely lose yourself and submit to them under such profound emotions. And this is when things can go wrong. A soul tie may not necessarily share the same feelings as you, which could lead them to take our advantage. Remember to prioritize yourself and not let anyone control you. Leave a toxic soul tie as soon as you realize their negative influence on you.

Infographics: Difference Between A Soul Tie And A Soulmate

Different types of soul connections can be formed between two persons. However, you should understand them in and out to do justice. Soul tie and soulmate are two such bonds with subtle differences. This infographic explains how a soul tie differs from a soulmate.

difference between a soul tie and a soulmate (infographic)

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Soul Ties: Types Signs And How To Break Free

Soul Ties_illustration

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team


Are you aware of the three types of soul ties that exist? Watch this video to know about them! Uncover the secrets of spiritual connections and how they can affect your life.

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Amira Martin
Amira MartinLicensed Clinical Social Worker
Amira Martin is a licensed clinical social worker practicing in New York. Having done her master’s degree from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2002, she gained over 20 years of experience working with adults and children.

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Ratika holds a master's degree in commerce and a post-graduate diploma in communication and journalism from Mumbai University. She has 6 years of experience writing in various fields, such as finance, education, and lifestyle.

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Siddharth Kesiraju
Siddharth KesirajuMA, Certification in Relationship Coaching
Siddharth holds a certification in Relationship Coaching and a masters degree in communication and journalism from the University of Hyderabad. He has around seven years of experience in various fields of writing and editing.

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Benidamika holds a masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Assam Don Bosco University and another masters degree in English Literature from North Eastern Hill University. At MomJunction, Benidamika writes on human psychology and relationships.

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