According to Marla Ahlgrimm, toxic relationships can and do have an impact on your mental and physical health. The negativity, stress, and anxiety involved in maintaining these relationships takes its toll in many ways.
Mental Health
For your mental health, Marla Ahlgrimm says that toxic relationships can trigger depression and anxiety. The feeling of constantly being on edge, having to walk on proverbial eggshells, or bracing for criticism (or worse) can weaken your mental health.
Being in a negative situation can also chip away at your self-esteem. When you’re constantly led to believe that you aren’t good enough, you begin to believe it’s true. Marla Ahlgrimm says that this can cause issues in other parts of your life, including relationships with friends and family and your job as well.
Seriously toxic relationships can even cause PTSD. If you experience violence and constant negativity, it can take months to years to fully recover.
On the reverse side of this coin, healthy relationships can improve your mental health. When you have a partner that you can rely on for emotional and other types of support, you are more at ease in life. You have a rock to lean on when things get tough and a partner to enjoy life with during the good times.
