Recognizing a Toxic Relationship

Recognizing a toxic relationship is a crucial step for emotional and mental health. It can be difficult because the signs of toxicity can be subtle or even disguise themselves as love or care. However, it is important to be aware of the signs of an unhealthy relationship so you can take steps to protect yourself and your mental health.

Sometimes, without even realizing it, we surround ourselves with negative, even toxic, relationships. It is important to understand that the presence of a toxic relationship does not necessarily mean that you or the other person is toxic per se. Rather, it means that, together, you have developed an unhealthy relationship that feeds your respective anxieties. Over time, a power struggle can set in and it can be very difficult to break free from it.

If you feel uncomfortable around someone, even if you’ve known them for a long time, it could be a sign that you’re in a toxic relationship. Here are some questions to ask yourself to assess whether you’re in this situation:

Does this person often put you down?

Do you sometimes feel humiliated in public by this person?

Do you feel responsible for this person’s problems? Are they often depressed and you feel responsible for their well-being?

Are you afraid of being rejected by this person, especially if you don’t do exactly what they want?

Are you hiding your successes from this person for fear of their reaction?

Is it difficult to relax around this person? Do you find that seeing them is a stressor for you, even though you enjoy seeing them?

Do you think that if this person really knew you, they wouldn’t like you?

Are you able to express your feelings to this person?

Are you becoming a perfectionist for this person? Excessively so?

Do you feel like no matter what you do, it’s never enough or never good enough for her?

Do you identify an emotional blackmail approach sometimes put in place by this person?

Do you experience or make someone experience this kind of behavior?

If you answered yes to a majority of these questions, it is possible that you are caught in the spiral of a toxic relationship, whether on your side or that of the other person.

It is important to understand that living in a toxic relationship is not a rare experience and that you do not have to be ashamed of being a victim of it. However, it is important to ask yourself the right questions about what this person brings you in a positive way and to weigh the positive against the negative, in order to take the necessary measures to protect yourself and cut ties with this toxic relationship.