Freeing yourself from a toxic relationship means escaping constant criticism, emotional manipulation, and continual conflict. However, the toxicity of a bad relationship often outlasts the relationship itself, and you might find yourself anxious and overwhelmed with dealing with life and other relationships as well. Maybe you’ll find that your ex’s harsh judgments of you are portraying in your new relationship, or that you left a gas-lighting partner only to realize that you continue to doubt what your intuition is telling you.
You can get back on the dating wagon and indulge in online dating apps and websites that offer classified personals and casual encounters. Or you can rely on your support group to help you recognize the situation and focus on yourself.
Read on to learn a few ways you can recover from a toxic relationship.
Reach out to your support group
Family and close friends will always be there to help you get through difficult moments in your life. From your first heartbreak to helping you get away from a toxic individual, remember that you don’t have to be alone when going through tough times. Leaving a toxic relationship may be scary but it doesn’t mean you’re going to be alone forever.
Make sure you surround yourself with people who truly care about your well-being. Don’t avoid going out with your friends for dinner or drinks, ask them if you could vent and see if they’re available to spend the night at your place while you adjust to being by yourself. You’ll need time to heal, so you must have people by your side to uplift you and support your growth.
Recognize the situation and stop all contact with the person
Overcoming a toxic relationship often calls for denial. You might start blaming yourself in addition to blaming them. Even though all of these thoughts are normal, it doesn’t mean they’re true. Face the truth head-on to allow yourself to recognize how and why the relationship turned toxic in the first place. Maybe you won’t work out an exact timeline of when and where things went south, but denying that your relationship was damaging will only slow your healing process.
Another important thing is to stop all contact with the person that caused you pain. If you truly want to be and do better, you need to say goodbye to your toxic partner or friend for good. Block or delete their number and remove any connection you have with them. Although it might be hard, remember that the only way to move forward is if you focus on yourself and not them.
Make your health a priority
This would be the perfect time to be selfish. Keep in mind that you’ve just been through a traumatic experience and all you need to do to overcome it is to focus on your health. Practice self-care in the form of journaling, exercising or eating healthy. Note that chronic emotional stress could lead to long-term mental health issues, so it’s important to focus on your physical and mental health as soon as possible.
You can also find a therapist who can guide you through the aftermath of ending your toxic relationship. They’ll help you build up your self-confidence, and can identify what you can learn from this relationship. Additionally, make sure you stop being angry with yourself because you did nothing wrong. Learn to forgive yourself and come back stronger than ever.
Focus on your interests
Start thinking about what you loved doing before you got into the relationship. Note that when you’re in the middle of a toxic partnership, it’s quite easy to lose yourself. People often forget what they like, don’t like, and what their goals are because they only focus on fixing something that was broken.
It’s time to fill in your space and rediscover yourself. You can try writing, doing yoga, or trying pottery for the first time. Do whatever you’ve always wanted to do while you were in the relationship. Now, you can invest your time into a healthy relationship – one with yourself.
Final thoughts
If there’s one thing you should keep in mind from your toxic relationship is the things you don’t want in your future ones. Identify your values and know exactly how you want to feel when you’re with someone you like. This will help you determine what you want from your next relationship before you decide to dive headfirst into the dating world.
