Signs of a Toxic Person - WebMD

What Is a Toxic Person? · You feel like you're being manipulated into something you don't want to do. · You're constantly confused by the person's ... MenuAnxiety&PanicDisordersBipolarDisorderDepressionEatingDisordersSchizophreniaSubstanceAbuse&AddictionSocialMediaandMentalHealthNews&FeaturesReferenceQuizzesSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaPsychiatristADHDCrisisAssistanceHealth&BalanceLivingHealthyMilitaryFamiliesSupportPersonalityDisordersPTSDStressManagementMoreRelatedTopicsMentalHealthReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyDanBrennan, MDonDecember02,2020InthisArticleWhatIsaToxicPerson?SignsofaToxicPersonDealingWithToxicPeopleWhatIsaToxicPerson?Ifyouknowsomeonewho’sdifficultandcausesalotofconflictinyourlife,youmaybedealingwithatoxicperson.Thesepeoplecancreatelotsofstressandunpleasantnessforyouandothers,nottomentionemotionalorevenphysicalpain. Atoxicpersonisanyonewhosebehavioraddsnegativityandupsettoyourlife.Manytimes,peoplewhoaretoxicaredealingwiththeirownstressesandtraumas.Todothis,theyactinwaysthatdon’tpresenttheminthebestlightandusuallyupsetothersalongtheway.Toxicityinpeopleisn’tconsideredamentaldisorder.Buttherecouldbeunderlyingmentalproblemsthatcausesomeonetoactintoxicways,includingapersonalitydisorder.Herearesomewarningsignstowatchoutforifyouthinkyou’redealingwithatoxicperson:Youfeellikeyou’rebeingmanipulatedintosomethingyoudon’twanttodo.You’reconstantlyconfusedbytheperson’sbehavior. Youfeellikeyoudeserveanapologythatnevercomes.Youalwayshavetodefendyourselftothisperson.Youneverfeelfullycomfortablearoundthem.Youcontinuallyfeelbadaboutyourselfintheirpresence.Ifyou’veexperiencedthesefeelingsaroundsomeone,theymaybetoxic.Ifyouconstantlyhavesuchemotions,youmaywanttochangetherelationshiporstoptherelationshipentirely. SignsofaToxicPersonJustliketherearesignsyou’rearoundatoxicpersonbecauseofhowthepersonmakesyoufeel,therearesignsseeninthepersonthemselvesthathighlighttheirtoxicity.Themostcommonsignsinclude:InconsistencyPartofbeinghumanishavingupsanddowns,goodtimes,andbad.Butatoxicpersonisalmostneverconsistent.Theirbehavioriserratic.Theydon’tfollowthroughontheircommitmentsorpromises.Youneverknowwhatthey’regoingtodonext.Suchinconsistencyisveryhardwhenyou’retryingtobethereforsomeone.Theycanbeelatedwithyouoneminute,writingyouoffthenext. TheyAlwaysNeedYourAttentionHaveyounoticedthatthepersonalwaysneedssomethingfromyou?Whetherit’sconstantphonecalls,texts,orshowingupatyourdoor,theyalwaysneedemotionalsupport.Andthey’reprobablynotbeingsupportivetoyouinreturn.Theytakeallthatyouhavewithoutgivingmuchback.Theyhaveaheightenedlevelofself-interest,aneedtoshowcasetheirowngreatnesstoreceiveaffirmation.Thiscanbeassociatedwithnarcissisticpersonalitydisorder.ThereIsAlwaysDramaEvernoticehowdramaseemstofollowsomepeople?It’slikelynotacoincidence.Toxicpeoplethriveindramaticsituations.Theyinflameemotionsandcreateconflict.Theylovestirringthepottoseewhathappens.Peopleareoftentoxicbecausethey’renotinterestedinbeingstableandhealthyinrelationships.TheyDon’tRespectYourBoundariesAnothersignofatoxicpersonisnoboundaries.Ifyou’vebeenclearwithsomeonetimeandagainaboutyourneeds,andtheyjustcan’thelpthemselvesbuttodisrespectyou,theyaretoxic.Healthyrelationshipsarebasedontrustandtheabilitytorespectboundaries.Toxicpeoplejustcan’tdothat.TheyManipulateOthersforWhatTheyWantDoyoufeeltakenadvantageof?Manipulated?Toxicpeoplelovetomanipulatethosearoundthemtogetwhattheywant.Thismeanslying,bendingthetruth,exaggerating,orleavingoutinformationsothatyoutakeacertainactionorhaveacertainopinionofthem.They’lldowhateverittakes,evenifitmeanshurtingpeople.TheyAbuseSubstancesAnothertoxicbehavioristheabuseofsubstances,likedrugsandalcohol.Thesebehaviorsbecometoxicwhenthepersoniscontinuallyharmingotherpeople,nottomentionthemselves.DealingWithToxicPeopleNowthatyouknowthesignsofatoxicperson,bothinthewayyoufeelandhowtheyact,youstillmaynotknowwhattodoaboutit.Hereareafewstrategiestotry:ConfrontThemAssoonasyounoticetoxicbehaviors,confronttheperson.Callthemoutonanyliesorinconsistencies.Tellthemyoudon’tappreciatehowtheybehave.Thisshowsthemthatyou’repayingattention—andyou’regivingthemachancetoexplainthemselvesorapologize. SetStricterBoundariesIfyoumusthaveatoxicpersoninyourlife,trytosetstricterboundaries.Forexample,ifsomeoneisabusingsubstancesanditcausesthemtoharmyouorothers,letthemknowyouwon’tseethemunlessthey’resober.Makeitclearyouwon’ttoleratetheiroverlydramaticbehaviororspreadingrumorsaboutpeople.Limitthetimeyouspendwiththemuntiltheycanchange.CutThemOutofYourLifeIftheabovestrategiesdon’tworkandcauseevenmorepain,abuse,ordishonesty,it’stimetoletthetoxicpersongo.Sometimesthere’snothingtodobutstandupforyourselfandmoveon.TipsforLivingWithOCDPsychoticvs.Psychopathic:What'stheDifference?MSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?AlcoholWithdrawalSymptomsVisualGuidetoBingeEatingDIsorderFeelingAnxious?GettheScooponGADWhatIsDepression?Differencesbetweenfeelingdepressedorfeelingblue.MoodSwings?ItCouldBeBipolarDisorderSignsofmaniaanddepression.UnderstandingSchizophreniaCauses,symptoms,andtherapies.BingeEatingDisorder:AnOverviewWhenfoodcontrolsyou.Article8DepressionTreatmentTipsArticleCurbingCompulsiveOvereatingSlideshowPhobias:WhatAreYouAfraidOf?Artic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