Toxic relationships can quickly sap your energy, leave you feeling constantly stressed, and ultimately have a profound impact on your mental health. If you’re starting to believe you’re in a toxic relationship, beginning a couples counseling program can provide direct therapy interventions to help start the path to healing.
Starting counseling with Promises is as simple as dialing 844.875.5609 to speak to one of our representatives who can set you up with a couples counselor and support you on the path to recovery.
What Are Toxic Relationships?
Toxic relationships are any in which one or both partners feel emotionally, physically, or mentally abused by the other. This abuse can occur in romantic relationships but also with your friends, coworkers, or family.
Most of the time, toxic relationships refer to mental or emotional abuse. Yet, many people don’t recognize toxic behaviors for what they are and can go months or years suffering unnecessarily in a relationship where they’re being harmed.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
Learning to recognize the signs of emotional abuse is the surest path to identifying toxic relationships. There are several common signs that people experience in these relationships.
Jealousy
If your partner is frequently showing signs of jealousy, it might be the first sign of a toxic relationship. Healthy relationships are built on trust and open communication. If your partner is jealous, they may not trust you or your words.
Controlling Behavior
Jealousy will often lead directly to the next sign of toxic relationships—controlling behavior. There are several types of controlling behavior people can experience in a toxic relationship, including:
- Financial control
- Control over your time
- Controlling what you wear
- Telling you where you can and can’t go
When your partner is showing a high level of control over your personal life, it is a distinct red flag that the relationship has become toxic. Controlling behavior like this is often a precursor to domestic abuse and should be taken extremely seriously.
Constant Criticism
Healthy relationships are supportive while holding you accountable. Toxic relationships are overly critical and can seriously damage your self-esteem and mental health. If your partner is constantly criticizing every little thing you do, it’s a clear indication that the relationship has become unhealthy.
Gaslighting
Gaslighting is a pattern of abuse where a person causes you to question your own sense of reality. This could include frequently denying statements that you know to be true, causing you to constantly second guess yourself. It could also be shifting the blame for situations onto you even when you’re certain you aren’t at fault.
Feeling Unsafe
If your relationship makes you feel unsafe, it’s an internal signal that your relationship has become toxic. Whether it’s a romantic partner, a friend, or a family member, feeling safe and comfortable is a hallmark of healthy relationship standards. Once that safety and comfort disappear, a relationship is in deep trouble.
Isolating Yourself From Others
When you spend a great deal of time in a toxic relationship, it can often lead to you avoiding other important people in your life. This could be a result of your partner’s controlling behavior, or it could stem from a personal sense of embarrassment or internalized shame about the way you’re being treated.
Start a Couples Counseling Program at Promises Today
Living through toxic relationships can have devastating effects on your mental health. It can leave you feeling stressed out, anxious, depressed, or outright frightened. Seeking professional mental health treatment can help you resolve these symptoms, recognize the patterns of toxic behavior, and get back to feeling your best.
To start your process of recovery, reach out to the mental health professionals at Promises by calling 844.875.5609 or using our online contact form.