 When you think of a toxic person, what comes to mind? Toxic traits aren't always obvious. They can go unchecked for a while. It can be challenging to look inwards and consider whether you have these traits, but it can also give you the opportunity to become a better friend, family member, and significant other. In this video, we'll be learning about six signs that you're becoming a toxic person. If you notice you have some of these tendencies, there's no need to feel down on yourself. The goal is to help you reflect and see if there are any areas for improvement in your communication style or behaviors that you could benefit from changing. So let's jump into it. Number one, you're argumentative. Do you find yourself constantly getting into arguments or feeling excited when a conflict arises? If so, you could be acting in a toxic manner to those around you by causing unnecessary disagreements. Of course, it's normal to argue occasionally with the people in your life. Disagreements happen from time to time, but if it's a constant pattern and you find it hard to keep your relationships peaceful, it may be worth considering whether you're starting fights that could be avoided. Number two, you never own up to mistakes. We all make mistakes and sometimes even hurt people unintentionally, but the way we act after these slip-ups can make a huge difference in our relationships. How do you respond in these situations? One telltale sign that you can't admit to your wrongdoings is that you often say, I'm sorry that you feel, instead of saying I'm sorry that I. Instead of taking responsibility and apologizing when you mess up, you might tend to shift the blame to someone or something else. One way to avoid this toxic behavior is to listen to someone else's concerns before you become defensive and focus on fixing the issue at hand rather than being right. Number three, you can't seem to avoid drama. If you always find yourself in drama, whether it's at work, school, or in your personal life, it can be helpful to self-reflect and ask why. Is everyone else in the wrong or is there something you can change to maintain more peaceful relationships? Some people have different personalities and just don't get along, but there may also be a different cause. For example, does drama make you feel important because the attention is on you? Does it entertain you? If so, this could be a toxic behavior that may have a negative effect on you and others in your life. Number four, you are jealous and possessive. You find yourself getting jealous of your friends or partners. To consider this question further, notice how you feel when people you're close to hang out with others. If you feel a sense of possessiveness or have the urge to control them, this could be a toxic behavior to monitor more closely. Communicating openly with your friends or partner about setting reasonable boundaries can be beneficial. It's also important to be self-aware when feelings of jealousy come up. Remember, just because a friend enjoys hanging out with someone else, that doesn't mean your relationship is less important to them. Number five, you are overly competitive. Under normal circumstances, competition is healthy. Most of us want to excel and feel like we are above average. But it's also important to celebrate others' success and lift them up, especially those you love. How do you feel when you hear about a loved one's success? Are you happy for them or do you feel the need to downplay it? If you find yourself diminishing others' wins and only celebrating your own, you might be engaging in toxic behaviors. There is room for all of us to win. Everyone's journey is different and others' accomplishments don't take away from your own. Then number six, you are extremely critical of others. When you have a close relationship with someone, you might poke fun at each other every once in a while. This might even be a way to bond with your friend or partner, to show how comfortable you are with them. But you might cross a line and make someone feel negative about themselves. When you point out someone's flaws, it can sometimes do more harm than good. These criticisms don't always have to be serious. Mocking people or speaking in a disrespectful tone, whether it's sarcasm or not, can be a toxic way of communicating. If you catch yourself cracking jokes or making comments that tear others down, ask yourself whether it could be affecting their self-esteem. So, did you relate to any of these points? If you made it to the end of this video, take a moment to appreciate yourself for learning more about toxic traits and considering where you can improve in your relationships. That in itself is an achievement. Whether you recognized any of these traits in yourself or not, remember that everyone has room to improve. Your desire to reflect on your own habits will make you a better friend, coworker, family member, you name it. Asking others for feedback on your communication style, including what they want to see you do more or less of, can be a simple way to avoid toxic behavior and improve your relationships. If you found this video helpful, like and share it with friends that might find insight in it too. Remember to subscribe to Psych2Go and hit the notification bell for more content. All the sources used are added in the description box below. Thank you for watching. Until next time.