Keeping a relationship with a person who is manipulative, judgmental, self-absorbed, or just plain toxic can waste a significant amount of your emotional energy. But almost everyone chooses to continue spending time with these people because they have no courage to cut them out of their lives. They find it challenging to evade this type of people, especially if they are friends or family members. Some of them are often socially popular and charismatic around other people, except you.
Here are several psychological and interpersonal strategies backed by research to help you veer away from your relationships with these individuals.
Toxic Friends Or Partners
Several studies found out that friendships provide the best outputs for a person’s happiness and overall health. It could be because you can choose your friends, unlike family relationships where you are born in.
However, the same studies also discovered that “stressful” friends could also cause higher illness rates. Fortunately, there are ways to break free from these toxic relationships with friends by doing these strategies.
• Talk About The Issue Directly
If you and your friends had been close for years and you recently notice a change in their attitude, try to talk to them directly. It might help them assess their own attitude. But if your discussion ended in further conflict, you may start sidestepping from that relationship.
• Lessen Social Media Interactions
You may choose not to burn bridges with that person completely, but you can still avoid constant engagement by reducing your online interactions. You may either mute their posts or unfollow them or boost the privacy settings. It will help prevent further social media engagement with people who only have toxic opinions about you or other issues.
Toxic people harm your well-being. While cutting ties is ideal, it can be challenging if they are close to you.
Toxic Family
Unlike friends or romantic partners you can cut ties or break up with, dodging your relatives and family members is more complicated. It is especially true if you are near them or live with them.
If you want to avoid the negative effects of your relationships with toxic family members without too much drama, here are several ways to lessen their influence over your life.
• Create Firm Boundaries On Communication
Most toxic people lack self-awareness regarding their negative effects on the people around them or be aware but have no intentions to change their ways. Instead of retaliating and inciting a heated discussion regarding their attitude, you need to be calm but firm to express your feelings.
• Learn Self-Distancing
Once you notice that your toxic family member refuses to apologize for taking responsibility for their actions, try self-distancing to avoid senseless discussion or further conflict. Based on a 2019 study from the Journal of Personality, those who can practice self-distancing to avoid adverse experiences can significantly grow in positive emotions.
Final thoughts
Staying away from toxic people with who you have emotional and physical ties can be both painful and difficult, but it can take a toll on your life. So try to cut them out so you can preserve your happiness and well-being.
