6 Signs you might have become toxic
One wrong move can send you spiraling down the wrong path
As the person that writes the scripts to our own lives, we get control over our actions, dialogue and behavior. Being the main character comes with many responsibilities, and we can feel like heroes combating day to day events. We often don’t even notice that we are engage in hurtful behavior unintentionally. This doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, but rather that you are a human. Self-awareness can help you get out of a bad situation.
1. Relationships don’t seem to last
Most of the time, toxic partners don’t lead to a happy ending. Being toxic, it is almost guaranteed to end. Toxic relationships doesn’t always involve manipulative, control, or abusive boyfriends/girlfriends. It can stem from over-analysis. Individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to expect rejection from their significant other and avoid telling them their true feelings.
You’re letting self-fulfilling prophecies win, you let your fear of a relationship control you, and when you’re afraid of being in a relationship, it’s more likely to fail.
2. Apologizing is not your strong point
Psychologist Abigail Brenner suggests that toxic people often play the victim card. They blame others for their actions and never want to admit they were wrong. When people have a hard time apologizing, it can easily and quickly sabotage your relationships there are many benefits to apologizing. These include relationship rekindling friendship and stress relief. When you don’t say you’re sorry you won’t find out how much you hurt someone and might never understand.
But it is never too late to say sorry.
3. Social media is more important to you than real life
You often spend so much time on social media and count every single like on your post. You compare your likes to your friend’s and you rely on social media. When your self-image becomes a bigger priority rather than staying in the present you know you have gone down the wrong path. It can lead to many bigger problems, letting technology get the better of you can make you toxic. When you rely on an audience for validation you also end up needing likes and follows for an ego boost. This can make others resent you as you are more focused on your phone than what is happening around you.
4. You never fully trust your friends
Have you managed to accumulate more enemies than friends, or worse, do your friends not even like you and secretly despise you. Behavioral scientist Clarissa Silva claims, when we are in healthy relationships, we are a better version of ourselves, we help and support the people around us and we help them achieve their goals. When your entire relationship is based on competitions, no one wants to keep up with your attitude. Silva says, you are only going to drain them out, besides, you aren’t going to provide your friends with the emotional support they need.
5. Drama follows you everywhere
Do you often break promises or leave others hanging. Being consistent is important but when you are not, the consequences are tremendous. Spreading rumors and starting fights is a huge indicator that you may be toxic, but is making up a fake story more important than your friends.
Even when you do start to spread rumors, that doesn’t do you any good. You aren’t getting anything out of it. Especially with social media being so accessible these days, it’s easier than ever to stir up trouble.
6. You only listen to people that agree with you
Being judgemental is a common trait of a toxic person when you only want people to agree with you and never hear the other side, that can be a very clear sign that you may be toxic. Shutting other people out because they have a different opinion to you means you don’t acknowledge the other side of the argument, and that doesn’t make you right. It only makes you close-minded.
Being toxic is bad, but the only thing worse than that is knowing you’re toxic and not changing.
