(calm music) - Hey, Psych2Goers,
have you ever wondered when to label
a relationship as toxic?
We might think the red flags are clear as day,
recent surveys actually report the opposite.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
one out of every three teens
will experience being in an unhealthy relationship,
but only 33% of them will seek help
or confide in someone else about it.
Why?
In the words of American author Bryant McGill,
"Escaping a toxic relationship
can feel like breaking off a piece of your heart.
Leaving is never easy, but sometimes it is necessary
to save yourself and others from dying inside."
It's difficult to accept when the people we love the most
are actually the ones hurting us the worst.
Even the strongest of us can find ourselves trapped
in a toxic relationship, unable to accept
when things have already crashed and burned.
But knowing how to tell when things
are starting to take a turn for the worst
can save you a lot of heartache down the road
and may even help you save your relationship
before it's too late.
So with that said,
here are some telltale signs of a toxic relationship.
Number one, you don't feel any support.
Do you feel your relationship has started to lose its spark?
Are you worried you're not feeling much of an effort anymore
from your partner?
Not only have they stopped making plans
and checking in with you regularly,
but they've stopped showing you any support
or encouragement as well.
They're not there for you when you need them,
but they make you feel like it's your fault somehow.
That it's your own goals and ambitions
getting in the way of your relationship
and not their lack of appreciation and commitment.
Number two, you don't communicate with each other.
Do you and your partner treat each other
with sarcasm a lot lately?
Are criticism, thinly veiled judgment,
and passive aggression a part of your daily routine?
You can't go two minutes without losing your patience
or getting annoyed at one another.
And most conversations quickly turn into fights.
You don't talk to them about what's bothering you
because you feel like they wouldn't understand,
or they'd just get mad at you about it.
So instead of being honest and open
about how you really feel, you choose the silent ground.
You're under so much pressure to act perfect all the time
for their sake that it feels exhausting
just spending time with them.
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Number three, there's a lot of jealousy.
Always practice caution when buying into the dangerous idea
that a partner's jealousy comes from a place of love.
Jealousy is not born out of love, but out of attachment.
The desire to possess someone and keep them all to yourself.
And jealousy can inspire a lot of toxic
and controlling behaviors in a relationship,
like invading your significant other's privacy,
going through their messages,
and policing who they can and can't be friends with.
Number four, there's a built up resentment.
Have you and your partner ever gotten into a fight
that brought up a lot of past issues
and mistakes you thought were already resolved?
This happens because there's a lot of built up resentment
in your relationship.
Your partner hasn't forgiven you for what you did wrong
and you haven't let go of all the ways
they hurt you before either.
You're both holding onto grudges and refusing to move on,
using those mistakes to guilt trip, control,
and manipulate one another instead.
But healthy relationships aren't about keeping score
and focusing on all the things you've done wrong.
Even the kindest, most loving people
can do hurtful things sometimes,
but it's no use holding it against them forever.
Number five, you feel disrespected.
Do they interrupt you or talk over you without concern?
Are they making you the butt of a lot of jokes?
If they casually tell people your secrets
and personal details,
and are late to most dates or a no-show altogether,
things might be progressing towards the red zone.
They may also belittle your problems and concerns
and decide things for you
without considering your feelings or opinions.
These are just a few examples of all the ways
you may be disrespected by your significant other,
but all of them are definite red flags.
Because at the end of the day,
they're all just telling us the same thing,
your partner doesn't value or treat you as equals.
And number six, you don't have time for other relationships.
In the beginning, you wanted to spend most of your time
with your significant other, right?
But as time went on and your relationship
got more and more serious,
you became more comfortable being apart from them
because you feel secure with the commitment
you've made to one another.
But it's not like that when you're in a toxic relationship.
In a toxic relationship,
your partner becomes your entire world.
All you do is spend time with them and follow them around.
You start to lose yourself in them and end up neglecting
all of your other important relationships in your life,
especially with yourself.
As they say, the first step to overcoming a problem
is by acknowledging it.
And the good news is just because your relationship
has turned toxic now,
it doesn't mean you and your partner are doomed for good.
As long as the two of you acknowledge these toxic traits
and are both willing to change for the better,
then there's still hope.
Practicing more open communication,
shifting from playing the blame game to understanding,
and establishing healthy boundaries
can be helpful in moving forward.
Of course, toxic relationships
aren't the same as abusive relationships.
If you or anyone you know is being physically
or emotionally abused by their partner,
please reach out to the authorities
or any of the many organizations available
to get the help you need.
We hope we were able to give you insight
into how relationships might turn toxic.
What do you think of the signs mentioned?
Do any of these describe your experiences?
Do you think your relationship has turned toxic?
Leave a comment down below
and please feel free to share any thoughts you have as well.
If you find this video helpful,
be sure to hit the like button and share it
with those out there struggling through such toxicity.
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And as always, thanks for watching.