According to Verywellmind.com, a toxic relationship is one that makes you feel unsupported, misunderstood, demeaned, or attacked. A quiet number of people have been in one form of toxic relationship or another in the past, which makes outsiders wonder why they can’t exit such a relationship.Â
As simple as it may look, leaving a toxic relationship is never as easy as it is presumed by those from the outside. From the fear of what others will say to societal pressure to be in a perfect relationship, there are so many reasons people remain in toxic relationships.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the reasons people stay in toxic relationships rather than leave.
1. Financial dependency
When you are not financially independent, it may be very hard to leave a toxic relationship, especially when your partner is the one taking care of all your financial needs. Financial barriers are one of the leading causes of people remaining in toxic relationships. When you have no idea where your next meal will come from, it may be difficult to leave your partner if they cater to all your needs regardless of how toxic they are.
2. Low self-esteem
Being in a toxic relationship can damage your self-worth and make you think you are worthless. If you are unlucky to be in a relationship with someone who constantly looks down on you, you may start to think less of yourself and start developing the belief that you truly deserve the toxic relationship and can’t get someone better.
3. The hope that things will get better
Many people who remain in toxic relationships do so with the belief that things will change for the better one day. They believe that by giving their partners more time, it may turn a new leaf, but unfortunately, this rarely happens.
4. Fear of what society will say
While there are many other reasons people remain in toxic relationships, one of the leading ones is the fear of what people will say if they leave their relationship, regardless of how bad it is. Society sometimes paints a failed relationship as a failure in life, hence putting pressure on people to remain in a toxic relationship.
5. Being scared of loneliness
For some people, being in a bad relationship is better than not being in any relationship at all. The fear of being all alone and not having anyone to turn to when they leave a toxic relationship can make people stay in the relationship.
6. Emotional manipulationÂ
Many people in toxic relationships have been emotionally manipulated and blackmailed by their partners into thinking they are always the ones at fault for all of their partner’s misdemeanours. Rather than finding faults in their partner’s wrongdoing, they would rather find a way to blame it on themselves.
7. Fear of starting all over againÂ
The more time, effort, and energy you’ve invested in a relationship, the more difficult it will be to leave such a relationship and start all over again, even if it is apparent that the relationship you are in is a toxic one.
8. Children’s involvement
Many people find it hard to leave their toxic relationships simply for the sake of their children. They believe that separating from their partner will negatively affect their children, so they remain in a toxic relationship.
Conclusion: Why it may be very hard to leave a toxic relationship for some of the reasons listed above and many others, you should always have it at the back of your mind that being in a toxic relationship is not worth it and it physically, mentally, and emotionally affects your well being. The earlier you find the exit door out of such a relationship, the better it is for you.
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