What happens when we choose to stay in a toxic relationship?
What if you are married to a toxic person?
How do you know if you should get a divorce?
We do intensive research before buying a house, a car, or even a new stereo. Rarely do we take the same steps to make sure we are entering a healthy relationship. But relationships touch every aspect of our lives. They affect us emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Often we feel we’re in too deep by the time we realize something is wrong.
Once we suspect we’re in a toxic relationship, we need to do some serious thinking. Choosing to remain with the wrong person can be more tragic than breaking up or getting a divorce. Especially when children are involved, the risk of staying can be more dangerous than leaving. It’s better to break up a toxic household than to allow your kids to witness behavior that will affect their relationships in the future.
It’s hard to figure out our true feelings when we are with someone who is controlling and manipulative. Ask yourself, if you were told you only had a few months to live, would you still be with this person?
The best way to avoid being damaged by a toxic relationship is to never fall victim to one. If you can sidestep the rush of first love for a moment and look objectively at the behavior of your partner, be aware of these signs.
- They love bomb you – a toxic person will shower you with affection
- They ask for commitment early on – relationships should develop at their own pace
- They control who you want to be around – they often guilt you out of spending time with friends and family
- They treat others badly – how do they treat the cashier or the wait staff? What are their relationships like with their parents and siblings? This is how they will eventually treat you
- Do they display empathy and compassion?
- What happens when you disagree? Do they threaten you, or work to find a solution?
These are just some of the points we explore in this episode. Have a listen and subscribe to get the rest of this series on toxic relationships.