Which Zodiac Signs Are Most Prone to Relationship Issues?

Marriage and romance are among our most deeply desired bonds. They can offer a sense of security that many people lack and often inspire us to be more positive and proactive. Yet these relationships can also have devastating consequences. At the most extreme, people lose their lives over romantic entanglements; less extreme, some suffer physical harm in unhealthy relationships; and many others endure emotional and financial damage at the hands of deceitful partners. These tragic stories may seem extraordinary, but they happen around us and remind us to stay alert and cautious.

Below, we look at astrological patterns that may signal challenges in love and relationships. Readers should avoid identifying with these descriptions too literally and approach them with a thoughtful, critical mindset.

Trait 1: Afflicted relationship indicators linked to the Eighth House

The Eighth House—often called the House of Suffering—is also associated with death. This does not mean that people with challenging Eighth House placements are destined to die young; rather, when a death occurs, this house is frequently under stress at that time. There’s no need for alarm: unless the natal Eighth House is severely afflicted, most people won’t encounter major problems when transiting planets move through it; they may experience only minor health issues or matters involving the excretory systems.

For those with inherent Eighth House difficulties, extra vigilance is wise, especially when activating factors involve heavy hitters like Saturn and Mars. A well-known example is the tragic case of Chen Jingyi, a prominent Taiwanese astrologer who was murdered in her rented apartment in 1997 by her lover, who was also married. Her death sparked controversy in the astrology community, with some mocking her for not foreseeing her own fate. It’s worth noting, however, that she reportedly wrote a will shortly before her death, suggesting that astrologers may have some awareness of their own timing. Now that she is gone, we should take lessons from her case to help prevent similar tragedies.

In her chart, the Sun and Mars are notably well supported, receiving helpful aspects from Jupiter and Venus. Saturn, however—at 2° Pisces—creates a tougher picture. While it doesn’t directly afflict Venus, it sits in a pivotal house and opposes the Moon. With a slightly wider orb, a T-square among Saturn, Pluto, and the Moon emerges, an unfavorable configuration made heavier by Saturn’s direct opposition to Pluto.

Saturn in Chen Jingyi’s Eighth House is a clear concern, and its opposition to the Moon heightens potential health impacts. Readers with an afflicted Venus or with relationship planets stressed by the Eighth House should choose partners carefully. Had she not become involved with a free-spirited Gemini, she might not have spent five years as a mistress—and perhaps might have avoided such a tragic ending.

Trait 2: Afflicted relationship indicators linked to the First House

The First House, or Ascendant, and its ruler strongly influence physical vitality. The Sixth House also speaks to health, but it tends to describe one’s baseline constitution and vulnerabilities with long-term effects. In practice, clear Sixth House signals often correlate with chronic conditions or lasting marks on corresponding body areas. The First House, by contrast, points to the body as a whole; when it is severely afflicted, the risks of injury or disability rise.

A notable case is Zhou Yan, a young woman from Anhui who was disfigured in 2012 after her boyfriend, reportedly the son of a government official, threw sulfuric acid on her and threatened, “If you don’t date me, I’ll ruin you.” To gather information about the incident, I made considerable effort; the birth details below come from online disclosures and an unedited ID number shown during an interview with the victim.

When health is in question and exact house cusps are unknown, medical astrology sources such as “Astro-guide” suggest using Aries as a rough proxy for the First House.

The most severe tension in her chart comes from a Venus–Mars opposition, with Mars in a weakened condition and Saturn also debilitated in Aries. Although Mars and Saturn are too far apart to form a tight aspect, both occupy pivotal areas.

Even without a precise Ascendant, the Moon—much like in Chen Jingyi’s chart—is drawn into a difficult Venus configuration, pointing to potential health correlations. With multiple afflicted planets and several challenging aspects overall, it’s likely that, regardless of the Ascendant’s exact position, the Ascendant ruler and at least one planet on the Ascendant become part of unfavorable patterns. Venus’s activation of the Moon and other planets further increases the chance of negative influences.

The perpetrator’s chart is not analyzed here; interested readers can explore it on their own.

Trait 3: Afflicted relationship indicators linked to the Second House

The Second House represents finances, broadly defined. Other houses can also speak to money, but people with difficult Second House placements often experience financial instability. Instability doesn’t necessarily mean poverty; it can mean difficulty earning, trouble holding on to money, or being easily misled into losses. A solid, well-supported Second House helps people accumulate surplus year after year and is especially fortunate.

When relationship indicators are stressed and tie into the money house, the risk of financial deception in romance rises. A well-known example is Chung Ching-tau of TVB’s “Five Tigers,” who reportedly lost billions after marrying Zhang Xiaohui and ended up heavily in debt—an episode that dominated entertainment headlines for years.

Chung Ching-tau: Born February 23, 1953, during the Shen hour (source: internet).

Based on the Shen hour, the Second House ruler, Mercury, falls into the Eighth House in a weakened state and opposes the Second House, compounding the negative implications. His chart shows the Sun and Mars in Aries opposing Saturn in Libra; Saturn also aspects the Moon. The sole benefic is Jupiter in Taurus. Although Jupiter sits in his Second House, the Second House’s ruler, Venus, is also weakened in Aries, creating a tangle of challenging configurations and calling for caution during difficult transits.

Those with an unfavorable Venus and numerous hard aspects should be very careful in partner selection—and, of course, avoid reckless entanglements in love.