Signs You Are Stuck in a Toxic Relationship

If you're in a serious relationship, chances are you want it to be a healthy one. Healthy couples have their differences and disagreements, but they are able to work through them with love and respect. In toxic relationships, by contrast, you may constantly feel like you're unloved and disrespected -- but you just can't seem to get out. If you've got a bad feeling about the dynamic between you and your partner, look for a few common warning signs. These might be the red flags you need to leave -- fast -- before you're completely poisoned by the pain or even hurt by abuse.

A healthy relationship is one in which each partner feels safe. You should not be afraid to be honest with your partner about anything. If your partner ever threatens you -- to hurt you, to withhold things from you, to leave you unless you submit to her will -- then you are better off without her.

You're a couple, but you're also unique individuals with different family members and different friends. If you're slowly finding yourself losing connection with other people, it's a warning sign that your partner is pulling you away. It's especially toxic if your partner is actively preventing you from having other relationships, such as forbidding you to spend time alone with your friends and family.

You are still your own person -- your partner doesn't need access to all of your personal information. If your partner is demanding access to private information like your bank accounts and social media profiles, you should question his motives. Even if you feel okay about it, it's a warning sign that your partner is trying to control you in an unhealthy way.

In healthy relationships, both partners make mistakes, admit to them and forgive each other. In a toxic relationship, you may find that you are always the person at fault. Even if you're tempted to believe it, it simply isn't true. You're better off with someone who loves you even for your weaknesses, not someone who makes you feel like a constant failure.

If your partner is constantly forcing her own way and steamrolling over your thoughts and feelings, it might be time to get out. In healthy relationships, partners communicate both ways -- they both talk, they both listen, they make compromises and they are okay with having differences. You should feel empowered when you're with your partner, not like everything you say is worthless.