A toxic relationship can be a result of many things including past trauma, kind of upbringing, and even how the other person internalizes things. Now, these 5 Common Signs of a Toxic Relationship will give you an insight into what you should definitely avoid and to what extent. You may not even realize that your relationship has turned toxic because of how familiar it seems. In this article, we discuss some of the most common signs of a toxic relationship.
What is a toxic relationship?
We all know that not all relationships begin badly. In fact, they seem the most hopeful at the beginning. With time, however, problems start to arise and you find yourself looking for that one speck of reason to hold on to this person.
If these problems persist and continue to bring you sadness, emotional distress, and frustration, the relationship may be toxic. Remember that abuse is NOT the only sign of toxicity. Though it does top the charts, there are many other things that can be considered toxic. And that is the very reason as to why we bring up to you these 5 Common Signs of a Toxic Relationship which can prove to be extremely helpful if they are thought of carefully and given serious consideration towards.
However, no need to lose all hope. Many times, if the source of the toxicity within a relationship can be located it becomes easier to find a solution. But if the source cannot be found or if the people in question are not willing to work on themselves, it might be best to remove yourself from the relationship.
5 Common Signs of a Toxic Relationship
Excessive separation anxiety
Don’t get me wrong, some level of separation anxiety can be completely normal. But there is a limit to it too.
When you are with the person, it feels amazing. You love the time spent together, even if it is just texting them or actually meeting them in-person (which feels even better). But as soon as you are apart it feels like the rug is being pulled from beneath your feet. You start feeling insecure about your relationship.
You worry about when you will meet next and have bouts of insecurity about them meeting other people in your absence. All-in-all you never feel at peace and secure because of this person.
Communication crisis
The first thing to take note of here would be if you communicate your problems effectively. If you feel that communication might be an issue on your part, it is not the other person’s fault. (Bottling everything up, only to burst out of frustration can make things worse.)
On the other hand, if you feel you have been trying your best to communicate your issues with them but they just give you the cold shoulder, it’s a matter of concern. You might also feel like every time you try and talk it out, it turns into an argument with nothing but yelling and shouting at each other. Not to mention, they might even resort to verbal abuse.
Another red flag to be considered in this scenario is manipulation. Somehow, they always manage to turn the conversation around so by the end of it you end up feeling guilty about it.
The conversation might have started with you trying to explain to them how their actions are affecting you, but it finishes with you taking the blame. This type of behavior can easily cause problems down the line. Well, this is the 2nd sign out of the 5 Common Signs of a Toxic Relationship which is of utmost importance and value.
Controlling tendencies
Excessively checking up on who you are meeting with, where you are going, what you are eating, and in turn trying to control it. All these are just a few examples of controlling behavior.
If you do not agree and comply with each and every one of their whims, needs, and commands, they send you off on a guilt trip. They might even find other ways to punish you.
Though these actions might not always come from a negative place, they often end up having negative repercussions. Maybe the person just wants whatever is best for you but it still qualifies as controlling behavior.
In a nutshell, anything that tries to change you as a person and take away your freedom can be deemed as controlling.
Passive-aggressiveness
Every time you have a fight with this person, they come up with a snarky, passive-aggressive remark. “Enjoy the party while I’m alone at home”, “whatever”, “it’s fine”, among many others are some of the most common ones.
This kind of passive-aggressiveness is often a cowardly low-blow since it tends to take away your ability to respond. It is basically a sugar-coated answer with a harsher undertone.
Never owning up
Nobody in this whole wide world takes ownership of every single thing they do. Good or bad. But NEVER taking ownership of your mistakes can be a huge issue. Accountability, in any relationship, is important for the growth of everyone involved.
If one person fails to take ownership every time, it can make the other person(s) feel belittled and small, or on the contrary, extremely frustrated if they know exactly what is going on.
Yes, owning up is uncomfortable but it is what makes us human. It is important to realize that as humans, we all make mistakes and ownership only help us become better while also improving our relationships.
To conclude, a relationship, be it any kind, a romantic one, or between co-workers, siblings, friends, or parent-child, is supposed to bring happiness and joy into our lives. Sure, all relationships have their ups and downs. As a matter of fact, successfully working through these highs and lows are what help us make these bonds stronger. This is how we have tried to explain to you the 5 Common Signs of a Toxic Relationship.
However, if your relationship has turned into a mere source of sadness and grief, it could be time to think it over.
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