How To Tell If Your Relationship Is Toxic

Relationships take a lot of effort and dedication to make them work. The people around us cannot all be perfect and neither are we. We have to learn how to adapt to their moods, faults, preferences etc. and they also must learn how to do the same with us too. There are also toxic relationships which bear the potential to be harmful to our well being.

What are toxic relationships?

A toxic relationship is where one or both partners exhibit behavior that is emotionally and, not infrequently, physically damaging to their partner(s). This is where love is prioritized over trust, respect and affection which are the components of a healthy relationship.

The following are some pointers that you could be in a toxic relationship.

1. Your partner strips away your self esteem

If you constantly have to endure negative criticism from your partner then yes, you probably are in a toxic relationship.

If you keep hearing the following comments then they could be toxic partners:

· “No.”

· “I don’t like it.”

· “You wear too much makeup.”

· “I hate that dress on you.”

· “You look stupid in that hairstyle.”

Such comments eventually makes you feel badly about yourself eventually stripping away your self esteem.

2. Overly jealous and a controlling behavior.

If your partner does not allow you to be by yourself and wants to be involved in every aspect of your life then this is indicative of toxic behavior. A partner who wants to control who you talk to, who you can call or constantly monitoring your whereabouts are toxic. In a healthy relationship, partners have freedoms to go about their lives without the other partner(s) breathing down their necks.

3. Failure to take responsibility for mistakes.

Toxic partners do not own up their mistakes. They will blame anyone but themselves for things gone wrong. Partners in a healthy relationship will accept correction but toxic partners this may end up in a fight. In some cases they will blame you for hurting your feelings so much that you will end up apologizing.

4. People around you are concerned.

These people could be your family and friends. People on the outside of the relationship will likely see the things that you may not see. They will realize that the way your partner talks to you is not right or the way that they behave around you raises alarm. These people often come from a protective place.

To conclude, the longer you stay in a toxic relationship the harder it is to get out of it. You may decide to end the relationship or to stay and work things out if both partners are willing to put in effort. A toxic partner may not change their behavior until it is pointed out and breaking your silence may be the beginning of a healthy relationship.