The importance of relationships can’t be overemphasized. For starters, you’ll have the needed support and encouragement when going through tough situations. Moreover, it’s easier to adopt healthy behaviors that improve your life when you have family, friends, and loved ones to motivate you. However, certain relationships aren’t beneficial; they demean, undermine, and stress you out, leaving you feeling attacked and threatened. Leaving an unhealthy relationship is possible with the right strategies, including the following.
- Don’t deny the reality
It’s common for many people to deny the reality of their unhealthy relationships. However, this may not be the best idea. You may notice red flags regarding a particular family member, friend, or partner; ignoring them may complicate things. Instead, take note of and address these signs immediately. You know you’re in a toxic relationship when your anxiety levels increase around them. Other tell-tale signs include envy, rivalry, demeaning words, gaslighting, stress, and so on. If you feel depressed or burned out after hanging out with these people, you are in an unhealthy alliance. Accepting this reality makes healing and moving on to better relationships easier.
- Build a support system
Leaving a toxic relationship can be hard, regardless of whether it’s a friend, partner, or family. And having your support system during this period is essential. A loving group of friends can encourage, comfort, and keep you happy, which benefits your emotional and mental health. Likewise, they can help you see the world from a more optimistic point of view, so keep this in mind. Fortunately, building a support system can be easy. For instance, you can contact trusted friends and family members, alerting them to your current situation. You can also consider joining a book club, volunteer organization, or other groups that align with your interests. This can give you a sense of belonging and purpose, preventing you from feeling alone. You can also work with a therapist or peer group to discuss your struggles.
- Keep toxic people out of your life
Escaping an unhealthy relationship can be challenging if the toxic people are still in your life. You don’t need to be around people who constantly bring you down or cause you to feel terrible about yourself. Therefore, making efforts to distance yourself from them is crucial. The first step is confronting them about their behavior and how it makes you feel. Maybe they weren’t aware of their actions and may change after alerting them about it. However, if they make no effort to change, you are justified in cutting them off completely. For instance, you can work with a divorce lawyer to secure your separation if your spouse is toxic. You can also unfollow toxic friends on social media, block their numbers or change yours to prevent them from reaching out. You can expect them to fight back or manipulate you into allowing them in. But stand your ground and set boundaries.
Leaving a toxic relationship is beneficial, as it helps your mental and emotional health while giving room for positive alliances. Hopefully, you’ll leverage these tips to remove toxic people from your life.
