Have you ever wondered if your partner is toxic? If you’ve asked yourself this question, the chances are high that they are. Oftentimes, our gut and feelings towards someone are correct. However, you don’t just want to rely on your intuition when it comes to deciding if your partner is toxic. That’s why we’re here to help by offering a list of 5 tell-tale signs that your partner is toxic.
So, before you order them a helmet from Get Lowered Cycles for their birthday, let’s see if they might not be worth the birthday gift after all.
Your Feelings are Invalidated
If you notice that your partner seems to dismiss your feelings often or if they frequently say that you shouldn’t feel a certain way, there’s a good chance they might be toxic. Healthy relationships require two partners who validate and respect one another’s emotions. Even if they can’t necessarily relate to the feeling, they care for their partner enough to know that the emotion means something to them.
Nothing is Ever Their Fault
Toxic partners are notorious for lacking accountability. Nothing is ever their fault. This makes it incredibly challenging, if not impossible, for the relationship to grow. Successful relationships require a willingness to own up to one’s faults and work to correct them. If a partner refuses to acknowledge their role in any wrongdoing, there’s no chance they’ll ever change or correct any of their faults.
They Refuse to Listen
Relationships are built off of healthy communication, and an important element of this is the ability to truly listen to one another without judgment. If your partner refuses to listen to you, speaks over you, or stonewalls you – then it’s a pretty big sign that they’re toxic. You deserve a relationship in which your partner has the desire to hear you out. They want to know how you feel and what you think in order to be the best possible partner they can be for you.
Everything Revolves Around Them
We’ve all been selfish at some point in our relationships. However, if you notice that your partner makes everything about them, it could indicate their toxic, or at the very least, emotionally immature. Relationships involve two people, and this means there needs to be flexibility when it comes to decision-making and problem-solving. If your partner always hogs the conversation or turns everything around to how something affects them, it’s not someone you want to be with.
Manipulation is Their Strong Suit
Manipulation is a harmful tactic used by toxic partners. This can come in many forms, and gaslighting is right at the top of the list when it comes to toxic relationships. Gaslighting is when a person makes someone question their own reality, and it’s common in narcissistic relationships. Unfortunately, toxic partners have manipulation as their strong suit. Instead of using energy to try and build and work on the relationship, they use that energy to try and gain control. If your partner uses manipulation in any form, it’s best that you break up, as it typically only gets worse.