The Devastating Impact of Toxic Relationships

A relationship is a good thing and a safe haven most people yearn for because it brings about pleasant memories, shared emotions and support, a sense of belonging, and many more. However, despite how good a relationship can go on to become, it's worth noting that being in a toxic relationship can take a toll on people's lives and emotions, and that's because it'll go on to affect an individual emotionally, psychologically, physically, and much more, to name but a few, and in this article I'll be talking about some of the negative effects of toxic relationships.

Toxic relationships are like a time bomb waiting to explode, and it's best for any individual who finds themselves in one to quickly run out before it gets worse, as it can result in physical abuse, emotional abuse, and even death if care isn't taken. That's why I relate it to a time bomb: for our own wellbeing, we should always do all it takes to flee from any relationship that'll affect our wellbeing, because relationships are made for one to enjoy, not endure.

I remember several years ago when I was much younger, and in elementary school, we used to live in the same compound with a particular newly married family who couldn't seem to go two days without having misunderstandings. It's quite surprising how they both ended up in a relationship, not to mention marrying each other, and that's because of the way they continuously abuse and treat each other on a daily basis. It was as though they'd never loved one another, and maybe their marriage was forced.

One reason why I said this is because you'll literally hear their voice at any time of the day, arguing, be it morning, afternoon, evening, night, or even midnight; in fact, it got to a point where we the neighbors got tired of settling their continuous fight and tend to ignore their shout, with the hope that after a while, they'll tired themselves out and stop, which worked sometimes until the family of the wife took actions into their own hands by taking her away.

Since the man usually beats and abuses her, and she continuously lashes on him with her abusive words in her own defense, it becomes difficult for people to interfere, but one thing I noticed when I was young then was the fact that the aftermath of all the abuses takes a toll on the woman's life. For someone who we all used to know as a cheerful and interactive person, she went on to become sober and prefer being isolated, which disconnects her from interaction with others.

Another effect of such a toxic relationship is physical and mental health issues, as the lady in question always has bruises all over her, not forgetting the emotional impact of such treatment on her mental health, leading to anxiety, depression, and hopelessness. It's just disheartening seeing her go through all that, coupled with her loss of identity. As I said earlier, she's no longer the cheerful type, and so she was unable to continue her business as a reputable fashion designer that she was in our community before marriage.

There are several other effects of toxic relationships that we must know and see as a reason to abstain from such, and some of the others are negative impact on future relationships, difficulty in trusting again, low self-esteem, fear of falling in love again, emotional drain, and many more. We should all do all it takes to support anyone we know going through such treatment and make such perpetrators face the consequences of their actions.

All photos are mine.