Not all relationships are for the good of the partners and accepting this fact is like swallowing a bitter pill. Although most relationships inspire us to become a better version of ourselves, there are a few ones that make us feel demotivated and unhappy. Such a relationship might be unhealthy for your emotional life and some even influence the day to day activities of our life. No wonder, these relationships that feel like a burden to the soul or a hurdle to a better life are rightly called toxic relationships. However, it is really scary to not realise which relationship might have a toxic effect on our life. So, here are a few warning signs of a toxic relationship, which should not be ignored.

Your partner feeds on your negativity When two people are in a relationship, they share a symbiotic bond which helps them to grow and learn from each other. But in a toxic relationship, your partner thrives on your negative energy. So, the person makes sure your life is filled with negativity, which then makes them a stronger person in the relationship. If you feel yourself surrounded by negativity and your mind hovering over negative thoughts because of your partner, you need to think twice about the relationship you share with him or her. Your partner plays the victim This is one of the classic examples of a toxic relationship—feeling guilty because your partner plays the victim. All relationships have problems but if your partner plays the victim and makes you feel like the evil person in the relationship, don’t blame yourself. Rather, analyse the situation logically and ask yourself this, why are you being blamed every time? Isolation In a toxic relationship, mostly one partner plays a dominating role while the other one is repressed. The dominant partner would often try to isolate the other person and as a result he would find himself cutting off ties from friends and relatives. If you catch yourself spending time alone often and wondering why have you stopped meeting your friends, try looking at the situation from what it used to be before you were in the relationship. Did this isolation happen after you met your partner? This right answer to this question would help you arrive at a conclusion. toxic 2 You live in a hostile atmosphere It might sound strange but the environment we live in often reflect our mood and vice versa. When you are emotionally disturbed and are having a difficult time with your partner, constant bickering, ugly fights and unreasonable dramas will fill your life at home and you would be left with no peace at the workplace. If such a toxic atmosphere has become a regular part of your otherwise peaceful life, it’s better to address the issue instead of ignoring it. When you cannot be honest with your partner Honesty is one of the most uncompromising requirements of a healthy relationship. But when you are in a toxic relationship, it becomes very difficult for you to be honest with your partner because you are scared that he or she might not appreciate your honesty. Lack of trust might be another factor stopping you from being honest. When everything is going on fine, what makes it impossible for you to trust your partner? Is it because he or she is manipulative? Does your partner try to use it against you? Answering these questions would help you understand the real meaning of the relationship you are in. Your partner threatens to leave you but never does that This is one of the oldest tricks that toxic people play on their partner—they constantly threaten to leave the person but never do so. Does the thought of your partner leaving you fills your heart with pain and fear? This is what your toxic partner plays on, he or she feeds on this emotion and threatens to leave you knowing very well that this threat will make you do anything. So, don’t fall for such tricks.

‘Sorry’ has become your favourite word

Do you apologise to your partner too often? Saying ‘sorry’ when you are wrong is a good thing but if ‘sorry’ has become your favourite word, take this as a warning sign. Your partner might be manipulating you into believing you are guilty of something and leading you to apologise for it.

Be smart and reasonable. And remember, knowing the signs of a toxic relationship is not enough. You need to nip the bud at the right time.

Source: indiatimes.com