Relationships are a lot of work, but they should also come with lots of fulfillment. That is if your relationship is healthy. Sadly, a toxic relationship is just as common, even when you don’t think it can happen to you.
The effects of toxic relationships are far-reaching as they affect your mental and physical health. The best approach to any toxic relationship is to leave before it gets any worse and spirals into a physically-abusive hell.
To avoid reaching the point of no return, you’ll want to instill healthy habits before the relationship devolves into a physically-abusive hellscape. If you’ve waited until it was too late, you’ll need to act fast to clear your name. Remember, no one is safe from the wrath of a physically-abusive relationship, meaning you, too, could receive domestic violence charges. With this harsh reality in mind, contact a domestic violence lawyer right away in the case of these contentious situations. A capable lawyer is the one way to clear your name and protect yourself from the consequences of a domestic violence charge.
It’s challenging to unravel all the drama and complex human emotions that are causes of toxic relationships. However, there are sure-fire signs for when it’s time to jump ship and start moving on, no matter how painful.
Signs of a Toxic Relationship
Toxic relationships don’t always come dressed up the same way, but some telltale signs of an unhealthy relationship for men give them away. Here’s five of them below:
Keeping a Scorecard
Any relationship where you or your partner keep scores of past hurts and wrongs isn’t a healthy one. If someone you’re dating keeps blaming you for past mistakes, know that that’s toxic behavior.
Should you find yourself entangled in a toxic relationship dynamic, you may notice your partner consistently tallying slip-ups, forgotten anniversaries, or minor mishaps. In some cases, these emotionally-abusive partners may mislead you to believe that you’re racking up emotional debts. Ultimately, this an unhealthy approach to resolving conflict and can lean towards manipulation. With score-keeping tendencies, you’ll guarantee that you are never quite past anything, no matter how little. That’s a lot of baggage to put on one relationship.
Gaslighting
If your feelings are disregarded or dismissed as dramatic or unreal, you are experiencing gaslighting. A toxic relationship always involves gaslighting since one partner always tries to avoid responsibility for the not-so-pretty stuff.
Your partner’s place is not to doubt the legitimacy of your emotions. A relationship should be a safe place to express your feelings and be heard, even if you are not entirely correct.
Controlling/Unwilling to Compromise
A controlling partner leads to a toxic relationship. While accountability in a relationship is necessary, a partner that insists on making all your decisions without any input from you is a huge red flag.
It’s even worse if you or your partner are unwilling to compromise. Although surrendering control and meeting in the middle can be a nuisance, compromise is crucial for the survival and health of any. It shows you both respect what’s important for the other and building a more enjoyable relationship.
Relationship Hostage
Emotional blackmail is when a partner holds issues over your head and turns them into a commitment crisis. Simply put, if your partner is always threatening to walk away or withhold intimacy whenever you find yourself at the center of a heated disagreement, you don’t have something healthy together.
Remember that your partner shying away from intimacy or expressing discomfort in the throes of a romantic evening is not a punishable offense. By contrast, when they are intentionally and continuously holding you to emotional ransom, your relationship might be toxic.
Buying Solutions
Imagine that whenever you have a major conflict, you or your partner buys a gift or makes some grand romantic gesture that makes it all away. This resolution sounds great until the next issue arises and the same pattern ensues.
Although this seems like the least harmful point, superficial solutions will only make issues worse. What happens is that all those unresolved feelings are swept under the rug and left to fester. This only breeds toxicity. Money, expensive gifts, and luxurious trips can not take the place of honest conversations.
Final Thoughts
Whatever stage your toxic relationship is at, you need to be careful to do the right thing for yourself and your partner. It’s always less painful to leave a toxic relationship than to experience the effects of one that has gone out of hand to the point of domestic abuse.
Featured Photo by Alex Iby on Unsplash
