How to Identify A Toxic Relationship
Dealing With Toxic Relationships
The first thing that comes to mind with toxic relationships is one ruled by feelings of discomfort, aggression, manipulation, or guiltiness. A sarcastic, ironic, or passive-aggressive tone is very characteristic of these relationships. A toxic relationship can be any kind of relationship: friendship, romantic, or familial. Some toxic relationships are based on feeling good, they are not necessarily relationships full of rejection or hate.
Signs of toxic relationships:
• One person in the relationship is always striving and struggling for support, attention, and love.
• Perpetual dissatisfaction. These people are often critical, highlighting the negative side of others or a particular event. They try to impose their view over others and impose their values onto others.
• They are insecure and have self-esteem issues. If it’s a romantic relationship they are looking for reassurance and are often in the role of victim.
• They pull away easily, they can isolate themselves for hours, and become inaccessible emotionally to others.
• They build emotional walls and do not disclose any emotions or information that can make themselves look vulnerable to others, they have defense mechanisms that don’t allow them to see positive traits or the good side of things.
• A toxic person often has unpredictable mood swings
Recommendations:
• In order to stop a toxic relationship or friendship its necessary to cut ties, slowly or drastically. If you are the object of manipulation or guilt understand its part of the violence cycle.
• This could be a recurrent pattern in your life. It could be one of a series of toxic relationships in your life. If you feel that there is a pattern of inappropriate and harmful relationships the best thing to do is to look for professional help in order to look for more awareness and empowerment.
• Look for other friends or activities where you are not obliged to act in a particular way, you don’t have to belong to anything, just be yourself. Empowerment is crucial for realizing that you can act by yourself and for yourself, not to please others.
• Try to set limits to your life and closeness, setting rules is a statement of what things make you feel good and comfortable and what things will make you feel awkward.
• Don’t be afraid to be alone. Don’t feel guilty about separating, or taking time and space for personal growth.
How to Identify A Toxic Relationship
Dealing With Toxic Relationships
By: Andres Carvajal
Edited By: Stephanie Dawson
[Last Updated on July 31st 2014]
