How to Get out of a toxic relationship

If you’d like to identify the signs of a toxic relationship, read a previous post by clicking here.

Toxic relationships often lead to marriage. Contrary to what many people may think, toxic relationships are a lot more likely to reach the altar before healthy well-balanced relationships. Sadly, marriage is a measure of success in many societies, so not many observers can see the signs of toxicity seeping out of the marriage facade. If you have identified from the previous post (link provided above) that you are in a toxic relationship, here are some steps you can take to get out of it.

• Talk to someone: There is this desire we all have to keep our relationship issues private no matter how badly they may be eating away at us. From experience, I have found that speaking to someone who is completely objective about your issues could help you see things differently. Problems discussed in a very good conversation are already half-solved. Identify a person you genuinely trust and speak sincerely. The need to speak to someone is so you can gather the strength you need for the remaining steps, and also for the much-needed encouragement when you are about to give up on your fight to freedom. 

• Relate freely with other people: Many people in toxic relationships have a very unhealthy dependency on their partner for company, compliments and everything else that makes a person whole. They tend to live in an isolated bubble away from the company of others and are often at the mercy of their possessive partners. In order to break away from a toxic relationship, you need to deliberately relate with other people. This is not as easy as it sounds, but little efforts day after day will eventually lead to emancipation. Go to a cinema alone and watch a comedy. Laugh alongside strangers, pay people compliments and most importantly, speak to other people- old friends, acquaintances colleagues… anyone you can talk to about nothing in particular is all part of your emancipation.