In our life, we have a lot of relationships other than our family. It can include making love partners; we get involved with someone romantically. It is a human need to make relationship and to find a romantic attachment with someone they can trust. A relationship is built on trust, respect, affection, effective communication, affirmation and mutual understanding. A healthy relationship is one, which lasts forever, and both of the partners are happy with each other. However, if a relationship is not strong enough, a small misunderstanding a bring bitterness between the couple and turn a healthy relationship into a toxic relationship. A toxic relationship is something which involves harmful, negative, emotionally and psychologically damaging behaviour between the partners involved.
This article will cover what are the possible signs of a toxic relationship and how an individual can get rid of this kind of relationship.
Signs of a toxic relationship
If a person gets into a toxic relationship there are various signs by which an individual can easily assess the condition of their relationship and work on it accordingly.
1. Lack of respect
It is very basic that in a toxic relationship partner usually do not respect you your opinions and work. They may make fun of you, your choices and your appearance.
2. Controlling or manipulating
Partner in a toxic relationship tries to control you, your decisions and how you spend your time and always manipulate you by violence, threats, guilt trip and gaslighting and ultimately make other person doubt their own reality.
3. Criticism
Criticism on smaller things are very often seen this kind of relationship. They deliberately trigger your flaws and always try to lower your self-esteem.
4. Lack of trust
Trust is the fundamental thing in a relationship, but toxic relationship lacks trust. Your partner always tries to know every single detail of yourself and does not trust you with your independence. They try to check your phone and ask you for whom you are with or to whom you are talking.
5. Over possessive
If your partner feels jealous and often accuses you that you are cheating or flirting with you even if you are not. And always try to isolate you from their friends and family.
6. Lack of privacy
Even if you are in a relationship, you need privacy, but in a toxic relationship partner does not give privacy. They always ask you about the person you met and how was it with them etc.
7. Physical Abuse
It is normal to have a fight in a relationship until it does not involve hitting. If a relationship involves physical harm. Therefore, it is a toxic relationship.
8. Limiting yourself
If you are seeing any changes in yourself. For example, limiting yourself to say anything and thinking that it might offend your partner even if it hurts you a lot. You start creating a shell of the things your partner does not like about you and you even try to change yourself in the process.
9. Feels exhausting
Whenever you are with your partner, you feel too exhausted to spend time with them as you have to deal with a lot of drama and fights and it drains your energy too.
Tips to overcome toxic relationship
1. Recognize
It is the first step that you have to recognize whether your relationship is healthy or toxic. It would be difficult to assess one behaviour and actions and put them in a parameter of toxicity but you can try. You have to be honest with yourself and your situation.
2. Talk to someone you trust
After recognizing your toxic relationship you have to talk to someone you trust in can be anyone family, friend, therapist or anyone you feel comfortable with. Tell them about your situation and they will help you to get processed with it and help you to identify your emotion and to develop a plan according to it.
3. Talk to your partner
It is important to clarify everything on an initial basis and for that talk to your partner. Tell them that they are hurting you because of their toxic behaviour and ask them to change their behaviour.
4. Stay Patient
If you have asked them to change, take your time to see any changes. Behaviour takes time to change so be patient. Set a deadline to check if something changes.
5. Plan an exit
If your partner does not make any changes in their behaviour and doing the toxic things again and again it’s better for you to plan an exit. And at last end every contact with the person as they don’t deserve you and your attention.
6. Learn from your experience
It is better to avoid any possible toxic relationship at the initial stage without wasting a lot of time leaving toxic people in your life. Learn from your experience and choose the right person for yourself.
