How to Identify and Eliminate Negative Relationships

Positive, healthy relationships are crucial for happiness whether they are with friends, family, co-workers, or romantic partners.

Sometimes we find ourselves in relationships that are not good for mental health and may even be contributing to negative moods. However, sometimes it is hard to see if we are in an unhealthy relationship.

Then, even if we know that we want to end a relationship with someone, it can be hard to move forward or know how to proceed in a good way.

How to Identify a Negative Relationship

A person that is toxic or who affects you negatively may not be doing so on purpose or even when they interact with other people. Sometimes there are underlying causes of a toxic relationship or personalities that clash and lead to negative emotions and behaviors. Either way, it is important to be able to identify negative relationships so that you can eliminate them if you need to.

It is also important to note that no relationship is always positive. There are always challenges, demands, and arguments, even in the most healthy and positive relationships.

Only you know how negatively a relationship is truly impacting your life and well-being. Every relationship is unique, and you need to take the time to ensure that eliminating a person will truly help your overall situation and mental health.

One sign of a negative relationship is when they do not respect your boundaries or interests. You can tell them how you feel when they behave in a certain way, but they continue to be disrespectful of your emotions and boundaries. They may even take advantage of you.

A negative person can be controlling and manipulative. They may even only care about their self-interests. They may be passive aggressive or make you doubt yourself. If they lower your self-esteem on a regular basis, then the relationship is likely going to continue in a negative way.

Dishonesty is also a sign of a negative relationship. They may lie to get their way or to alter your behavior. They may even lie just to be right in every situation and an argument will never leave to a peaceful resolution.

A negative person may blame everyone else, lie, and argue or put you down before they admit they were wrong. They may portray themselves as the victim and never take responsibility for their own actions.

While they may give themselves a positive portrayal, they may continuously judge you for the things that you do. They may directly criticize you or put down your interests. They may not even praise your achievements or do so with a hint of sarcasm or envy.

Eliminating a Negative Relationship

Removing a negative or toxic person from your life can be very difficult. You may have gotten used to them being a part of your life and they may be beneficial in some ways. If it is a friendship, you may feel like you will not have a social life if you eliminate them.

If it is a spouse, you may feel financially obligated or feel like you need to stay for your children. There are always reasons to stay, but if they are toxic enough and negatively impacting your livelihood then it is in your best interests to eliminate them from your life.

How to Leave a Negative Relationship

While every situation is unique, there are some steps that you can take to remove a negative person from your life regardless of your relationship with them.

First, it is important to build a support system and a plan for the transition. If they are a boss, then this means to plan ahead for a different job. If they are s roommate or romantic partner that you live with, this likely means that you need to plan out living arrangements ahead of time.

During the initial planning stages, you may also want to identify how toxic the relationship actually is. Sometimes, creating space is enough to improve the relationship. This is mostly true for co-workers or friends that we do not see all the time. Other relationships are more difficult to distance yourself from and aspects of the relationship may even weave through our entire life.

You should also realize that it may take time to create space and end the relationship. However, you have to remain strong and persistent. Cutting them out of your life can be emotionally difficult, but it will improve your well-being in the long run.

Remember that you do not have to explain your reasoning to them. What you want to disclose is always up to you. You can just tell them simply that you do not feel like the relationship is beneficial to your happiness. Avoid arguing with them and end the interaction before it gets to that point. State your boundaries in a clear way so that there is no misunderstanding.

If you are afraid of the person, make sure that you talk to them in a safe place. If you are a victim of domestic abuse, check out the National Domestic Violence Hotline for more information and assistance.

Cut them out quickly with boundaries specifically set. Then you can move on with your life. You may have to block them from social media or even get a new phone number is drastic situations. However, if you persist it can have a positive impact on your life.

If you need help with your mental health or a toxic relationship, then you may want to seek the help of a mental health professional. They can help you develop positive habits and learn how to proceed in a healthy way for your mental health and well-being.

Conclusion

Most people think of a romantic partner when they hear about toxic relationships, but anybody in our lives may be spreading negativity. It is important to know how to identify negative relationships so that you can move on away from them and towards positivity. Always remember to stand your ground and that you do not owe them anything. Then, move on with your life while keeping firm boundaries in place for the future.