Toxicity can be difficult to detect in relationships. In long-term relationships, we build great habits and attachments that can often hide serious problems. Toxic relationships are often viewed incorrectly, for example, intense fighting sometimes viewed as loving each other vigorously. Toxicity in a relationship is harmful to both partners’ physical and emotional health and, also impacts children who live with the toxic couple. Some toxic behaviors can easily be identified if you know what to look for. Below are some kinds of activities that might suggest relationship toxicity:
- Substance Abuse: In a marriage, when there is any substance abuse it would immediately make your relationship poisonous. When drug or alcohol dependence is involved, it is important to seek professional help and, the relationship may need to be completely ended.
- Physical Or Emotional Abuse: In the case of physical or emotional violence, it is important to seek immediate assistance and to find a safe environment.
- Putting Down and Belittling Behaviors: It might be delivered in a form of jokes, but they are needed to stop soon. Constant putting down and belittling behaviors can lower the self-esteem of another partner.
- Anger Management Issues: The negative activities in a relationship include shouting, rage, and angry outbursts.
- Inducing Guilt: If your spouse often makes you ashamed for your actions and decisions, it indicates that the relationship is being controlled destructively.
- Deflection of Issues: if you are trying to show your negative feelings and issues to your partner to resolve any conflict, it is completely normal. But, if one partner is continuously deflecting issues and blames their partner, it is a sign of a toxic relationship that should be ended soon.
- Over-Dependence: When a spouse wants to spend all the time with his/her partner, fails to decide. Typically behaves passively, leaving all decisions to its partner, then this is considered a toxic pattern that creates imbalance.
- Unreliable Behavior: Often this is covered up as “freedom” in a marriage, but if a partner fails to keep his commitment and doesn’t show up entirely reliable, the relationship could become poisonous.
- Using a Partner: If a partner uses another partner’s money, age, accommodation, friendships or anything else, and this is the foundation of the marriage, a negative environment is rapidly formed.
- Highly Possessive/Jealous Behavior: Healthy relationships are built on independence and trust. On the other side, in an unhealthy relationship, a spouse always asks their partner about where going, whom with are and, checks on them and limits their independent time.
Conclusion
If you find you are living in a toxic relationship and you can’t tolerate it anymore, you should get in touch with a local divorce lawyer for seeking expert advice. Divorce is a big decision, before making it make sure you have tried everything to save your relationship but nothing works. A divorce does not only impact your life it also impacts your growing children. So, have a word with an attorney for the best advice.