Toxic relationships aren’t just hurtful in the moment. They can lead to lasting emotional struggles. Many people who have had toxic relationships with partners, friends, colleagues, or family members spend years working through the trauma with the help of professional counselors.
Table of Contents:
- Surround Yourself With Supportive People
- Allow Yourself Time for Grief
- Show Yourself Forgiveness
- Begin Future Relationships Slowly
No one deserves to be abused or harmed. Whether the hurt is physical, mental, financial, social or sexual, it’s real. It can be challenging to figure out how to put the past behind you, particularly if you lived in toxicity for a long time or if the toxic environment was intense.
Here are four ways you can begin finding peace after a toxic relationship.
1. Surround Yourself With Supportive People
Being in a positive atmosphere after going through toxicity is important. After leaving someone who treats you badly, you’ll want to stay in close contact with people who support you. These could be family members, friends, neighbors or even coworkers.
In addition, you should avoid spending time with individuals who may try to blame or shame you for your toxic relationship. Healing is best done when you’re surrounded by people who practice kindness.
2. Allow Yourself Time for Grief
Even if your relationship was terrible, you may still feel pangs of loss when it comes to an end. Your toxic relationship was still a part of your life. It’s important to accept and acknowledge those emotions. However, make sure not to allow them to convince you that you were wrong to leave. Loneliness is common after ending any interpersonal experience, including toxic relationships.
3. Show Yourself Forgiveness
It’s easy to blame yourself for ending up in a toxic relationship. But the more you blame yourself, the worse you’ll feel. Rather than trying to figure out all the “red flags” you may have missed, let it go. Accepting that the experience happened and learning from it moving forward are enough. There is no need to make yourself feel terrible, especially after everything you’ve gone through.
4. Begin Future Relationships Slowly
Being alone can be difficult for many people, but you want to be sure you’re not jumping from one toxic relationship into another. Before dating after a toxic relationship or seeking out new connections, it’s a good idea to spend some time recovering from the trauma.
Above all else, believe in yourself. You can overcome the effects of toxicity and get all the benefits of ending a toxic relationship. If you need help from a professional, get it by contacting us to make an appointment. Be proud of yourself for taking charge of your life.
