Many people are in relationships that are unhealthy. However, when a person is in the middle of this relationship, it is often difficult to see how detrimental the relationship is to his or her self-esteem. Others may tell you that your partner is not "good for you" or that they can't understand "why you don't leave." Your partner may be a good provider, a good father, and at times, loving and kind to you. However, there are other times when you are left feeling alone, afraid, or upset and don't understand what is going on.

How can you tell if you are in a toxic relationship?  Here are some clues: (1) Your partner puts you down (verbally) in front of others. (2) While your partner says they love you, their actions dont back it up. (3) Your thoughts, opinions, accomplishments, or words are devalued.  (4) Your partner tries to make you dependent on them. (5) Your partner makes you feel unattractive or stupid that you have changed things about yourself to please them.

It's not a good feeling being around with toxic people. So many wonder why would you choose to stay in a toxic relationship? Why would you still believe that there is a hope in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend?

Honeymoon period, feelings blow up, reestablish relations for a recon and then go back to the honeymoon period and so on.. That's the cycle of a toxic relationship, if one doesn't take action and put an en to it, bad things will keep on happening, until it reached the point where getting out is even more difficult.

One reason is that many people in toxic relationships grew up in toxic homes.  As a result, they replicate the patterns of their childhood without even knowing theyre doing it.  And, they may not know any better.  Others believe they do not deserve happiness.  Still others find that they enjoy taking care of people.

But the first step in getting out and staying out of toxic relationships is to realize that you do have choices. Often people who stay in these couples have low self esteem or suffer from depression. Once you realize that you have choices, the next step is to start standing up for yourself.  In most toxic relationships, the toxic partner has taught you that it is all your fault.  Once you buy into this,  it can be very difficult to either walk away from the relationship or set new limits that can heal the relationship.

For some people, working in therapy groups can help them either get out of or redefine these horrible relationships. The good news is that some people are able to break the cycles of toxic relationships.  Some of them leave the relationship and form new, healthier bonds.

Repairing the relationship is also possible. Some, in fact, managed to forgive one another and stay together. It takes a little space, and even counseling for it to happen. Both should put forth an effort in renewing the bonds in a healthy way.

You need to liberate yourself from dependency and sincerely discuss what you need to the other. "I need your support," "I need your love," or "I need your truthful opinion," saying one or all is a good approach if you really want to patch things up. However if the other failed to respond, you must be prepared to walk away and live a better life.

A healthy relationship is a two way street. In a toxic relationship, the street is only going one way.  You have the power to change that, but you must take the power into your own hands. We all need companionship but we should not sell ourselves short and except it from someone who disrespects us, takes our love for granted, stresses us out and treats us like crap. No matter how much we crave companionship, it is simply not worth lowering our standards of what love is supposed to be.