 Hey, Psych2Goers, and welcome back to our channel. You've helped us make psychology and mental health more accessible to all through your ongoing support, and we want to thank you for that. So thanks. Now, let's continue. All relationships require work, and some more than others. We know that no one is perfect, and neither are we. However, some relationships do us more harm than good when they step over into toxicity. So, what is a toxic relationship? A toxic relationship is characterized by emotionally and occasionally physically damaging behaviors. These types of relationships leave you feeling emotionally drained and helpless, causing severe damage to your self-esteem. So here are eight common toxic behaviors in relationships. Number one, they offer a lack of support. Do you feel like your partner doesn't truly listen to you? Are they dismissive of your emotions? Does it feel like they're always finding ways to condemn you? If you feel like your partner is unsupportive, you may want to talk to them about it. However, if this is not an option, make sure you have a support system in place. Find and surround yourself with supportive friends and family who you trust and love, because it will help boost your self-esteem. Number two, they're controlling. Does your partner dictate how you dress, who you surround yourself with, or what you say or think? Controlling behavior is any kind of action or dialogue that restricts your freedom. Another subtle sign of keeping control is gaslighting. Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that involves planting seeds of doubt. When your partner gaslights you, it makes you question your choices, emotions, and your own perception. Gaslighting is an insidious form of toxic behavior, because it creates cognitive dissonance and low self-esteem. Number three, jealousy. Feeling a twinge of jealousy at the beginning of a relationship is natural. However, if your partner becomes irrationally jealous, then it's problematic. In her book, Daring Greatly, How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead, Brain Brown Associates Jealousy to Personal Vulnerability. When we hide our vulnerabilities, they become the source of our insecurities. Insecurities stem from low self-esteem or an inadequate self-image, which can then foster jealousy. If your partner feels the need to monitor you, try to create a dialogue about the source of their insecurity and extend understanding and compassion. Number four, dishonesty. Relationships require you to be open and emotionally vulnerable, but past hurts can prevent you from opening up, and you might choose to lie to cover things. More than just lying, dishonesty also includes telling half-truths, concealing the truth, or deliberately deceiving your partner. Dishonesty erodes trust, emotional intimacy, and creates feelings of guilt that place a strain on the relationship. Number five, bad communication. Couples who are bad communicators face many challenges, like not developing a strong relational bond. Bad communication involves using you-centered language directives, universal statements, and invalidation. For example, do they start off by saying things like, you have to, or you never? Or maybe they also say, it's not that big of a deal, and I'm not having this discussion with you right now. This kind of toxic communication leaves you feeling lesser than and unwilling to engage with your partner. Lack of good communication leads to more conflicts, loneliness, and lack of intimacy. Number six, disrespect. Does your partner repeatedly cross over your boundaries or undermine you? Do they feel a sense of competition between the two of you? Noting the disrespect from your partner forces you to hold yourself accountable for your role in the relationship. But accountability on both sides is the first step to starting up a conversation. Mutual respect is a cornerstone of a strong relationship. Without it, the relationship will not last long. Seven, holding onto grudges. When you hold onto grudges, you have the potential to destroy your relationship. It fosters resentment, causing division between you and your partner, and increases feelings of bitterness and unhappiness. You eventually start losing trust in each other and alienate yourself further from them. And number eight, constant stress or unhappiness. Do you always feel stressed or discontent when you're around your partner? You may have to ask yourself, why am I feeling this way? Or what is happening between my partner and me that is making me feel this way? If you find that your discontentment stems from any of the behaviors we've already listed, or any others, perhaps talking about how you both feel and how you can both address these issues will help restore the relationship. Have you observed any of these toxic behaviors in your relationship? How did you address them with your partner? Let us know in the comments below. Remember to like and share this video if it helped you, and you think it could help someone else too. The studies and references you start listed in the description below. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button for more Psych2Go videos. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you next time.