Cutting the Ties: 7 Signs You’re in a Toxic Relationship

Toxic relationships can be difficult to spot until it’s far too late and more difficult to get out. Know the signs of a toxic relationship so you can spot them early and determine if there are just too many red flags to keep going. Some of the signs to watch out for include the following.

Verbal or Physical Abuse

Any verbal or physical abuse should not be tolerated. Abuse is not going to go away over time; they’re not going to realize how they’ve been treating you and change suddenly. They’re going to escalate, and the abuse will get worse. Instead, contact an experienced divorce attorney to get advice on how to leave the relationship.

Always Someone Else’s Fault

A sign of a toxic relationship that can be easy to gloss over is when your partner always seems to think that their issues are because of someone else. They might blame a bad day at work on you not making the right lunch, their boss giving them extra work, or anything else that shifts the blame off them. If they do this a lot, it might cause more fights because they simply cannot see when they do something wrong.

Lying Constantly

Trust is vital in any relationship, so when lying starts, the relationship is no longer healthy. If your partner is constantly lying, even about things that should be inconsequential, it might be a time to look at the bigger picture and see if it’s worth staying. Trust is easily broken but not easily repaired.

Feeling of Being Controlled

In a healthy relationship, both partners are on equal footing and can make the decisions. In a toxic relationship, one partner might try to control their partner through manipulation or by creating tons of rules their partner must follow. They may threaten abuse or start fights just to get their way and control as much of the relationship as possible.

Passive-Aggressive Behaviors

Passive-aggressive behavior, gaslighting, and other behaviors are often a sign of a toxic relationship. If your partner often is in a bad mood but refuses to talk about it, this is passive-aggressive behavior. Gaslighting is where they try to make you think you’re crazy if you bring something up later by claiming it never happened or didn’t happen the way you know it did.

Isolation

Another huge red flag for a toxic relationship is isolation. This could come from your partner discouraging you from seeing your loved ones, or it can occur when you stop trying to spend time with loved ones in an attempt to make your partner happy. If you feel as if you’re not able to spend the time you want with loved ones, take a closer look at the relationship overall.

No More Happiness in the Relationship

Relationships end all of the time, but if you feel stuck in a relationship and you just aren’t happy anymore, it’s time to cut ties and move on. In toxic relationships, one partner may feel like they can’t leave, even though they’re not happy and haven’t felt happy in a long time. You should be happy in any relationship you’re in, not constantly miserable.

Toxic relationships can be hard to spot and harder to get out of. If you’ve noticed any of the above signs in your relationship and it’s time to get out, talk to a divorce attorney today.