Toxic Relationship – You are happy and at peace with yourself when you are in a healthy relationship. Everything just seems to work fine despite the occasional bumps on the road. You will get to understand each other and discuss whatever issues you are having just to make amends for the relationship to work. However, for toxic relationships, it feels different.
We all fall in love at some point in life and the hot pursuit of love can be so blinding that, sometimes, you only realize how toxic your relationship has been after you have gone too far and it’s hard to break away. It can be very hard to recognize the red flags because, depending on the nature of your relationship, the signs can either be subtle or very clear. So, in this article, we will be identifying some of the signs that show a relationship is toxic.
Toxic Relationship Signs
1. Hostility
Toxic relationships are infiltrated with hostile behaviors such as emotional blackmailing, yelling, name-calling, saying hurtful words, intimidation, restrictions to freedom of expression, silent treatment, constant criticisms, etc. If you always feel sad and emotionally drained whenever you spend time with your partner, then you may be having a toxic relationship.
2. Unsupportive Behavior
When a relationship is healthy, the partners support each other’s dreams and ambitions in every way possible. On the other hand, if it is toxic, there will be lack of support and that feeling of competition. In a healthy relationship, both partners are supposed to work together to achieve their collective goals and also support each other’s individual goals. A healthy relationship will nurture your dreams while a toxic one will kill it.
3. Over-Bearing and Controlling Behavior
When your partner becomes too controlling, wanting to know all your moves, and doesn’t give you any breathing space, your relationship is likely toxic. You may find yourself always having to explain why you didn’t pick calls or reply to texts on time to an upset partner.
4. Jealous Tendencies
It is normal to feel jealous if you love someone. But when it gets to the point when it becomes too often and begins to get out of control, then the relationship is likely to become toxic.
5. Disrespect
Every relationship thrives better when you respect each other. If one partner shows respect all the time, while the other partner, in turn, shows disrespect, it leads to toxicity. So if you are always feeling disrespected in that relationship, then it might be a toxic one.
6. Taking Undue Advantage
Taking undue advantage of your partner is a very big red flag in a relationship, especially in issues relating to Finance. For instance, if your partner entrusts you with his/her money or assets and you mismanage them, it can lead to a toxic relationship, especially if you make it a habit. Taking undue advantage of your partner can lead to lack of trust which will, in turn, make the relationship toxic.
7. One-sided Relationship
A relationship is one-sided when all the sacrifices, compromise, expression of love, etc. comes from just one partner. No effort whatsoever is made by the other partner. There is hardly any relationship that can stand the test of time when only one person is doing all the work. Such a relationship is toxic and you should walk away from it.
8. Loneliness
When you feel lonely, even when you are with your partner, it is a sign that the relationship is not healthy. When you are with your partner, you are supposed to feel some form of connection, love, affection, friendship, appreciation, etc. However, when you rather feel ignored, empty, lonely, abandoned, etc., then you are in a toxic relationship.
9. Lack of Freedom
A toxic relationship gives room for freedom of expression. You find yourself always trying to be conscious of the things you say so as to avoid the wrath of your partner. Also, when almost everything you want to do is restricted by the other partner, the relationship is toxic.
10. Manipulation/Physical Violence
Toxic relationships are also characterized by extreme manipulative behavior or physical abuse. When your partner threatens to commit suicide or harm himself if you leave him, it is an example of manipulative behavior. They scare you and manipulate you into doing things you do not want to do.
These can deteriorate to physical violence such as slapping, biting, pushing, hitting, etc. This can be a clear sign that the relationship has become toxic and your life is endangered if you do not walk away.
