Toxic people can destroy your mental health & derail your life

We have all encountered a toxic person in our lives. Their malignancy underlies their subtlety, and they usually get you to wholeheartedly believe that you are the problem, not them. This self-doubt and constant questioning of reality can have a damaging impact on your mental well-being. Just being around toxic behavior, to say nothing of being its target, makes people sick. For me, it was my mother and my daughter’s father.

I used to think I was just this mean person with an attitude problem because that is what people thought of me. I always had a bad temper and flew off the handle at the slightest thing. I spent the better part of nearly 30 years misunderstood, ignored, hurt, disappointed, in extreme physical pain, mentally drained, scared, confused, and mad as hell. From mockery to the manipulation known as gaslighting, toxic behavior can cause real damage.

Here is four ways to spot it:

They are hungry for attention 24/7. Speaking of spotlights, that is where toxic people thrive. They put on a show for everyone to see, and who knows which of their masks you will get to see this time.

Ego issues. They think the world of themselves. Wearing a crown, high atop a pedestal above everyone else, the toxic person thinks they are the best thing in the world.

They feign concern for your welfare. Pretending they are concerned about you is a ploy that toxic individuals often use to make you feel like they care about you. This false sense of concern can be mistaken for genuine remorse, but it is a calculated attempt to catch you at a weak moment to suck you back in.

They tend to be quite rude at times. Toxic people say hurtful things and then play it off as a joke. They are passive-aggressive, and sarcastic when you need them to be genuine and honest.

Knowing these common behaviors of toxic people will sharpen your radar and make their manipulations easier to spot. When you notice these red flags, pay attention and look for repetitive patterns.