A toxic relationship is a relationship that has turned itself into a relationship that can be extremely harmful and dangerous to your well-being, due to your partner’s toxic behavior. Toxic relationships are not totally hopeless but they will require substantial effort and difficult work if they are to be turned into a healthy and less harmful relationship.
The Controller: Although you may confuse their jealousy and possessiveness for lust and love initially, realize that these are not signs of someone who cares. The toxic person seems to know all aspects of your life and always has an opinion on it. He or she may want to know exactly where you are going and why. Again, at first it feels like they are interested in your life and truly care. That caring feeling will soon slip away to reveal that you are in a controlling relationship. They will have something to say about what you wear out with your girls. No one needs to be told what to do and when to do it, and the right person would never put you on a leash.
The Debbie Downer: This person is always looking on the negative side of things. This person sucks the fun out of life. Being around someone who is super negative and always complaining makes life less enjoyable. In order to balance this person, you have to be the kind of person who finds the silver lining on the worst of days.
The Liar: Never trust a liar. It is important in any relationship that honesty is on the forefront for all things, both big and small. It is not healthy to be the type of person who feels like they need to sneak through someone’s phone messages or social media while he or she is asleep.
The Manipulator: This person will only work on things on his or her terms, not your terms. This person will never take responsibility for their actions, and either you or someone else is always to blame. In this case, it’s important that you be on the lookout and listen to what they have to say about past relationships. The toxic person uses his or her sad story like candy to a toddler to get you to take it. There is never just one story.
The Perfectionist: No matter how good you are, a perfectionist will always find something wrong with you. You shouldn’t want to spend your time with someone who is constantly making you change to best fit his or her needs. When you hire a local Decatur divorce lawyer then they can help you go to court and win your case.
Some signs of a toxic relationship include:
- All take, no give. Any relationship in which you experience withdrawals of energy without deposits will leave you in the negative.
- Feeling drained. If, instead of feeling happy and productive, you’re always mentally, emotionally, and even physically drained, it’s time to re-evaluate.
- Lack of trust. A relationship without trust is like a car without gas: You can stay in it all you want, but it won’t go anywhere.
- Hostile Atmosphere. Constant anger is a sure sign of an unhealthy relationship.
- Occupied with imbalance. A one-sided relationship can never run smoothly.
- Persistent unreliability. Mutual reliability is important to building trust and is at the core of any good relationship..
- Loaded with negative energy. It’s almost impossible for anything positive to come out of a relationship filled with negativity.
- Lack of communication. Without communication, there is no relationship.
- Continuous disrespect. Mutual respect is the first requirement of a good partnership.
- Ceaseless control issues. If one person is in control, or a constant tug-of-war is going on, you’re probably spending too much energy navigating the relationship.
- Never-ending drama. Good relationships improve your life; they don’t make it messier.
- Persistent self-betrayal. If you find yourself changing your opinions to please someone else, you’re in a damaging relationship.
- Constant challenges. All relationships go through challenges, but good relationships work through them.
- Always undermining. If a relationship can’t be reassuring, it’s failing a crucial test.
- Shortage of autonomy. Anyone in any relationship should have the right to say no.
- Diminishes your self-worth. When you’re in a relationship with someone who doesn’t acknowledge your value, it can be hard to see it yourself.
- Laced with dishonesty. Every lie between partners undercuts a little bit of the relationship.
- Makes you unhappy. If someone is constantly making you unhappy, you owe it to yourself to let that person go.
- Lowers your high standards. Toxic relationships can cause us to slowly begin accepting what was once not acceptable.
- Filled with criticism. A non-stop barrage of criticism never helped anyone improve; it’s not about making things better but boosting the critic’s ego.
- Brings out the worst. If you are constantly being your worst, you cannot be your best self.
