If you’ve ever been in a toxic relationship, then you know how it can sap your energy, make you feel bad about yourself and leave you drained. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to end the relationship and focus on your own well-being. In this article, we will explore some of the signs that indicate your relationship has become toxic and how best to handle them moving forward.
1/ They are overly jealous or controlling.
If you find yourself in a relationship where your partner is jealous or controlling, it’s time to seriously reevaluate the status of your relationship. Jealousy can be a sign that your partner has low self-esteem and needs constant reassurance about your feelings for them. On the other hand, jealousy could also be a sign that you’re dating someone who wants to control you—and not in a good way!
If they’re jealous over something small like another person complimenting your outfit, they might just have some insecurity issues and need some alone time with you so they can feel better about themselves. But if they start getting overly jealous every time another girl checks out what you’re wearing (or gives you high fives), then it’s probably time for both of you to walk away from this toxic relationship.
2/ They drain your energy.
A toxic relationship is one that drains your energy, makes you feel bad about yourself and your life, and causes you to lose sleep and feel stressed. If you find yourself feeling exhausted after time spent with this person or on the phone with them (and it’s not because you’ve been working out), then this might be an issue worth addressing.
The first step in dealing with a draining relationship is recognizing when it’s happening. It can be easy to get caught up in an abusive pattern of behavior without realizing it until it’s too late… or worse yet: You may realize that something isn’t quite right but hesitate to act because of fear or guilt (like thinking “I’m probably just being oversensitive”). The key here is knowing yourself well enough that if something doesn’t feel right—even if nobody else agrees—you know that something isn’t right for YOU!
3/ They make you feel bad about yourself.
This is a huge sign. If they are making you feel like you’re not good enough, then they probably think that too. If they constantly put you down or make fun of you in any way, then this is a toxic relationship.
Toxic relationships often make you feel like you’re not good enough. They constantly put you down and make fun of you in any way they can. People who are toxic will do anything to get their way—from telling lies about others behind their backs to saying hurtful things just because they want attention themselves.
4/ They make you feel like things are your fault.
This is a classic manipulation tactic. The person who is doing this will blame you for their problems and make you feel bad about yourself. It’s a subtle form of gaslighting, which means that they try to convince you that your perception of events is wrong, even though it’s not. In toxic relationships, the other person will often use this technique when they think they might be in trouble or caught in a lie—it’s an easy way to get out of accountability! This also makes it difficult for them (or anyone else) to help because they’re making themselves seem like victims rather than accepting responsibility for their actions or mistakes.
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5/ They don’t respect boundaries.
This is a big one. If they are constantly trying to get access to your phone, constantly asking where you are or what you’re doing, and always want to be around you even if it’s inconvenient for you — that is a sign of controlling behavior. Make sure that their actions match their words. If someone says “I trust you” but doesn’t actually respect your privacy and boundaries, that’s a huge red flag! This can also be seen by how jealous they get when another person shows interest in you — even if those people aren’t serious romantic interests or threats at all!
6/ They never apologize.
If you’re in a relationship with someone who never apologizes, it’s time to cut the cord. It speaks volumes about their character and the way they relate to others that they don’t even have the decency to admit when they’ve wronged someone else.
This problem is especially prevalent in toxic relationships, where one person has power over another (like an employer threatening an employee), but it can also happen in any kind of relationship where one person feels like they hold all the cards.
7/ They try to change who you are.
If your partner is constantly trying to change who you are, it’s time to move on. It doesn’t matter if they want you to go vegan or quit smoking or stop eating spicy foods—if they’re pushing their desires onto you and making demands of how your life should look, that’s not healthy for any relationship. In fact, it’s downright toxic.
If you’ve noticed that your partner has been trying to change who you are, it’s important to recognize that this behavior is a sign of control and manipulation. They want you to be someone else in order to meet their needs and expectations, not yours.
Recap: How to Know When You Need to Cut the Cord When You’re In a Toxic Relationship
If any of these things sound familiar, it’s time to end the relationship and focus on your own well-being.
- You constantly worry about their feelings.
- You worry about what they’ll think of you if you don’t do what they say.
- You worry about having to change yourself because who you are is “wrong” for them.
- They blame you for all their problems but never take responsibility for the issues in their own lives (or yours).
- They try to change who you are.
- They never apologize.
- They don’t respect boundaries.
Conclusion
In the end, being in a toxic relationship is not worth it. It brings more pain than pleasure and ultimately does not help you grow as a person. For a friendship to last, both individuals have to be happy and healthy. If one person isn’t, the friendship will never work out in the end. Cut your losses and walk away from any relationships that make you feel worse about yourself after spending time with them.
If you can learn to develop a process for spotting and dealing with toxic people in your life, you’ll be much happier in the long run—and you’ll find it easier to build healthy, long-lasting relationships. It takes work, but when you pull it off, the results are so worth it.
If your partner is making an effort to change or if you are doing everything in your power to make your relationship work, it might be worth it to give it another shot. Even if you don’t think the relationship will get any better from where it stands. People can change, and you never know what is going on behind the scenes. Even if things get worse and the relationship gets intolerable, at least you gave it your best shot to make things work.
However, if you can’t live comfortably because of their actions, or if they’re attempting to make you unhappy, there’s a good chance it’s time to break up. Even if it doesn’t seem like an ideal situation, sometimes you just need to know when enough is enough.
