When you first start dating someone, it’s hard not to see all their best qualities even if they’re not great at communicating with others.
But as time goes on and your relationship becomes more serious, you’ll start noticing the little things that don’t add up.
You’ve probably heard that it takes three weeks to form a habit.
Well, according to science, toxic relationships also take three weeks before they develop into full-blown dysfunction and unhappiness for both partners involved.
So what are these signs? Here are some of them:
Early Signs of a Toxic Relationship
Early signs of a toxic relationship can feel like a minefield.
You’re constantly walking on eggshells and afraid of saying anything that might upset your partner.
Also, you may find yourself unable to disagree with them or express your own needs and desires.
Because you don’t want to rock the boat.
The reason for this is simple:
The person who has entered into this type of unhealthy relationship wants desperately for their partner to love them unconditionally.
But because their own self-esteem is so low, they fear being rejected if they show even one sign of independence or individuality.
As a result, they end up doing whatever it takes not only to avoid rejection but also to keep themselves from feeling alone in any way possible.
Even if that means pretending everything’s fine when really it isn’t!
2. Your partner is quick to blame you for their problems
Blaming is a way of avoiding responsibility for your own life.
If someone else is to blame for your problems, then you can’t be expected to change.
The problem isn’t that you’re in an unhealthy relationship, it’s that your partner hasn’t changed yet!
It can be hard not to take the blame when someone says they “need” or “want” something from us.
But if this happens often enough and we don’t speak up about it, eventually we start believing our partners’ lies about who we are and what our limits are (or should be).
This leads us down a path toward feeling trapped in our relationship.
Because they might not be able to change their behavior on their own.
They know how much power over us those words have given them over time.
And so does everyone else who hears them said aloud again and again throughout their lives
3. You rarely see your friends and family anymore
You might have noticed that your friends and family are not as important to you anymore.
Now, you may feel like they’re a burden, or maybe even an inconvenience.
You don’t have time for them because the person who is supposed to be your partner has become the center of everything in your life.
You should always make time for friends and family because they are there for support when things go wrong (and they will).
They can help motivate you when things get hard.
They are advised on how best to handle certain situations, and remind us that we’re not alone in our struggles, we all experience them at some point!
4. The person is blaming you for things you didn’t do
You may be the victim of a toxic person if they are blaming you for things that happened in the past, or even things that have nothing to do with you at all.
This can be expressed through anger, resentment, and passive-aggressive behavior.
The most common example is when someone blames their partner for their own shortcomings or failures in life.
For example: “If only I had a better job, then my relationship would be fine!” Or: “If only I had more money then my spouse wouldn’t cheat on me!”
It’s easy to see how this can lead to resentment between partners who think they’re doing everything possible.
While still being blamed by their significant other for not being perfect enough in every way imaginable!
5. Your partner is always saying they’re going to change, but nothing changes
If your partner is constantly saying they’re going to change, but nothing changes, it’s time to take stock. You might be in a toxic relationship.
A toxic partner is one who:
i. Refuses to listen to and hear you
ii. Doesn’t want to work on the relationship
iii. Is not willing to compromise or even consider your needs or wants as important as theirs
6. Your partner is emotionally or physically abusive
One of the early signs of a toxic relationship that should never be ignored is if your partner is emotionally or physically abusive.
It’s time to get out of the relationship.
Emotional abuse can be difficult to spot because it’s often more subtle than physical abuse.
Emotional abusers may use words like “guilt trip” or “gaslight” to describe their behavior, but if you’re in an emotionally toxic relationship.
It’s important that you know what these terms mean and how they affect your self-esteem over time.
In some cases, emotional abusers will make up excuses for why they act this way.
For example: “I’m sorry I said those things about your friend; she really did look fat in those jeans.”
This kind of statement makes us feel bad about ourselves so that our partner doesn’t have any negative feelings about himself/herself.
7. You often feel depressed, anxious, or fearful in this relationship
When you begin to feel depressed, anxious, and fearful in a relationship, it’s also one of the early signs of a toxic relationship.
You have a hard time seeing the good in yourself.
Your self-esteem is low and it’s difficult for you to get out of bed in the morning because your partner makes you doubt yourself so much that every day feels like a slog through quicksand.
If you find yourself in a toxic relationship, get out before it’s too late!
While leaving the relationship may seem like an extreme reaction to what might seem like minor problems, there are many reasons why staying in one can be dangerous.
The longer you stay with someone who is making your life miserable and hurting you, the harder it will be for them to change their behavior and treat you better.
This doesn’t mean that every toxic person will continue being abusive indefinitely.
However, if they do not recognize their own flaws or seek help on their own (and sometimes even when they do), then there is no way for things between the two of you to improve unless one party leaves first. In addition:
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you to identify some of the early signs of a toxic relationship. If you feel like your partner is toxic, then there’s no time like now to get out!
Toxic relationships can be very damaging and even lead to depression or suicide if they are left unchecked.
You deserve better than that; so go ahead and take our advice seriously by recognizing these red flags before they become too big of an issue for both parties involved in this relationship
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