What exactly is a toxic relationship and how would you identify if you’re in one?

A definition of term: toxic is extremely harsh, malicious, or harmful. A toxic partner contains poisonous material that can cause an emotional, physical, and mental damage to their partner.

A healthy relationship reflects and contributes positivity, but a toxic relationship withdraws your positive energy and deposits negativity. It drains your energy and damages yourself. Caring, Respect, and compassion is always mutual in a healthy relationship. It shares decision-making, compromises and encourages growth. To summarize it all, there’s always a desire for each other’s happiness.

A healthy relationship will always make you feel safe, comfortable and secure. On the other hand, you will never feel safe in a toxic relationship as it is characterized by insecurity, self-centeredness, control and dominance. To describe a toxic relationship as dysfunctional is an understatement and you risk your true being in staying in one.

It takes two to tango as they say, and same with a toxic relationship as it takes two individuals to be in one. Initially, you will look at the behavior of the toxic partner, but you must equally look at the individual who is the recipient of that toxic behavior as well.

Then ask why. Why does an individual stay in a relationship that will surely damage him or her emotionally, physically, and mentally? And what if you, a short of leaving, might help mend such a relationship?

Here’s a video of how can you save a toxic relationship.