Most people will feel the pain of a breakup at some point. At some point, your fairytale romance might come to an end. Breakups are a normal part of life, but toxic breakups are rare. Fortunately, one does not have to go through a toxic breakup.
If you are in a bad relationship or have had one in the past, you know that leaving a bad relationship is difficult. While healing will take time and effort, you can ultimately move on from a toxic breakup and find that life after being in a bad relationship is a million times better.
Here, we provide tips on moving on from a toxic break-up so that you can find a better life on the other side sooner rather than later.
What is a toxic relationship?
Relationships come in many forms. Based on how they make you feel, the types of relationships that could be considered toxic include those that make you feel bad about yourself or lack trust. Such relationships can also be harmful if they cause you any pain. The same is true in a relationship where you feel insecure.
Several signs of an unhealthy relationship are abusive behavior, whether it’s physical, emotional, or financial.
The toxic relationship test
If you are in an unhealthy relationship, you likely know it without necessarily knowing it. Taking a toxic relationship test can help you identify that your relationship is unhealthy.
It will teach you how to break away from a toxic relationship.
We sometimes need to see what we are headed toward before we can accept it ourselves, and testing that shows the characteristics of a toxic relationship can offer evidence that this is the case.
Here are some relationship test questions you can ask yourself to determine whether you are in an unhealthy relationship.
Answering any of these questions probably indicates that you are in an unhealthy relationship. It is crucial that you extricate yourself from any dangerous or abusive situation right away. Then you can get the support you need from friends, family, and/or therapy or counseling.
Life after a toxic breakup
Remember that life gets better after a toxic relationship ends. Before the breakup, remind yourself of the person you became before the relationship and before you lost a sense of self.
You might have received subpar care in your relationship. However, you were not meant to be treated that way and deserve better care.
If you are in a relationship with someone who overdoses, the first step is to move on and leave the relationship. Learning how to breakup from a toxic relationship is when the hard work really begins.
You can’t just flip a switch and feel better instantly. It takes time and patience to heal yourself of toxic relationships. Chronic stress and trauma are often caused by toxic relationships even after they are resolved.
Those negative emotions don’t simply disappear the day you end the relationship. It takes time to heal.
Venting negative feelings such as depression, anger, or extreme symptoms can run you into trouble.
If you need counseling after suffering a toxic breakup, make sure to contact a therapist. Therapy can help you work through any challenges you encounter, such as low self-esteem, shame, or other negative feelings caused by toxic behavior.
How to move on from a toxic breakup
What do you do after getting dumped by a toxic ex? In addition to seeking professional assistance, there are a number of things you can do to help yourself heal.
It may be tempting to indulge in resentment, but in doing so, you can accomplish positive things with your time. After a divorce, you should focus on your self-worth and on self-maintenance, mental health, and economic well-being.
Self-care after a toxic breakup
You don’t have to fret about your toxic waste anymore, so you can take care of yourself with activities such as exercising and meditating.
There is nothing like a good workout to relieve stress and improve your mood.
You may want to join an exercise class or workout with a friend, something you may not be able to have done when you were in that toxic relationship.
Getting sufficient sleep is one of the best things you can do for you. Though you’ve learned how to break away from an unhealthy relationship, you may still be dealing with distressing thoughts or emotions following a breakup.
Next, try to have a peaceful and quiet evening routine. Reading a book, journaling, or meditating can all aid you to fall asleep.
You can also check out our Wellness Wednesday posts.
In unhealthy relationships, a partner may isolate the other partner from their friends and family. If you felt unsupported in your relationship because you were isolated, reaching out to your support network is even more crucial.
Even if you’ve not talked to them in a while, your loved ones and friends will want to be with you when you’re ready to talk. And by speaking with them, you might find new perspectives on life.
Whether you are cut off from your family due to a toxic breakup or you have recently gone through one, it’s important to surround yourself with people who will help you and support you through this rough time. Having friends and family to talk to and rely on will help you as you learn how to get over a relationship with a toxic person.
There’s no better time than after a toxic breakup to get back out there and do something you enjoy. Perhaps you haven’t done anything for yourself in a while because your partner didn’t allow you to get out of the house without them.
Are there any hobbies or activities you’ve always wanted to try? Not only will trying something new bring joy to you, but you will also have the chance to socialize with new people or spend time with others you might’ve neglected during the course of your relationship.
It’s also an opportunity to focus on new opportunities for personal growth and get a boost in self-confidence by trying new activities that result in happiness.
Mental wellness after a toxic breakup
An unhealthy relationship is detrimental to your mental health. A toxic breakup is never your fault, but you may blame yourself for it.
Try any of these techniques to help you develop self-compassion and forgiveness following a traumatic breakup.
You will have many conflicting emotions after a toxic breakup. Write down some of the old relationship’s issues in a journal.
Journaling can help you work through your feelings and get a better understanding of your situation during this time and relieve any negative feelings, such as anxiety or loneliness.
You might want to have ended your relationship, but there are so many things in life to remain grateful for. Try beginning and ending each day with a gratitude practice when learning how to deal with a harmful breakup. List five to 10 things you appreciate.
Gratitude can improve people’s moods and lives. Gratitude has been shown to increase feelings of positivity and foster positive relationships.
Be mindful after a painful breakup regarding how you speak to yourself. Your own words are powerful, particularly the ones you say to yourself.
Practice positive affirmations to negate any negative self-talk that a breakup may cause. Memorize them daily to receive the actual benefits in life afterward.
Financial wellness after a toxic breakup
Finally, your finances can usually be restored after recovering from a destructive romantic relationship breakup.
Toxic partners can negatively affect your finances.
There is no better time than after a breakup to take control of your finances and learn about your own personal finances. This is especially true if your former partner was in charge of your finances or your joint finances.
What are these unfamiliar jargon terms all about? Clever Girl Finance offers free courses on fundamentals of personal finance, investing, and entrepreneurship.
When learning how to get over an abusive relationship breakup, you may discover that you have different financial concerns now. Now is the time to review your budget (or create one if you do not already have one).
Examine your expenses and make any necessary changes.
Do you need to earn more to keep up with your current lifestyle? Move in with family? Cut back on spending?
When a significant life change such as a toxic breakup occurs, it’s an excellent time to reassess your financial situation and determine where you stand. It starts with your budget.
Finally, if you have any joint finances with your ex, you will need to disentangle yourself from them. A poisonous breakup was toxic for a reason. It’s rarely advisable to keep in touch with a former partner.
But when money is an issue, sometimes you have to talk, even after breaking up with a girlfriend or boyfriend. If this situation arises, get a friend you trust to act as a mediator between you and the other person and untangle your finances from the breakup.
Life after a toxic relationship is so much sweeter
Breaking off an unhealthy relationship is a courageous thing to do. Once you’ve done that, it’s about putting yourself first and focusing on you, something you may have not done for some time.
You may be down in the dumps right now, but you’ll soon feel much better once you’re on the other side of a toxic breakup.
You can expect to enjoy a healthy future and beneficial relationships with healthy boundaries, good finances, and more joy and peace.
