5 Ways Toxic People Hurt You

Written by Chris Josh

In this blog, I’ll be discussing 5 ways toxic people hurt you. Sometimes, we know what’s best for us. It’s walking away from such relationships. But it’s not always so easy. If it’s a family member or a spouse, it can be very challenging. When you consider how these 5 things severely impact you, it may make the decision a lot easier.

1. Emotionally Draining and Anxiety-Inducing

Toxic people often create drama or chaos, leaving you feeling emotionally drained. Their negativity, manipulation, or constant criticism can trigger anxiety, making it hard to relax even when you’re away from them. They are never happy and always have something to complain about. You can bring them the sun and moon and it will never be enough for them, so there’s no use in trying any harder. All you’re doing is reinforcing their toxic behavior.

2. Gradual Elimination of Your Self-Worth

Being around someone who belittles or undermines you can slowly chip away at your self-esteem. Over time, you may start to internalize their negative words or actions, doubting your abilities and self-worth. This has major implications for social interactions. Others will pick up on your low self-worth and you will be unattractive to them. It applies not only to the gender you’re interested in but also friends, strangers, employers, etc...It will affect your self-respect and how others treat you. If people see that you have low self-worth and low self-respect, they’re going to treat you accordingly.

3. Increased Stress Levels

Toxic relationships are a constant source of tension, which can lead to elevated cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain. Chronic stress can manifest in physical symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and even long-term health problems such as heart disease or a weakened immune system. Add to that, it can also negatively affect your memory and your frontal lobe. This isn’t what you signed up for. Thinking it’ll eventually get better is wishful thinking. In fact, most of the time, it only gets worse and your health suffers tremendously.

4. Loss of Focus and Productivity

Dealing with toxic people can dominate your thoughts, leaving little room for creativity, problem-solving, or accomplishing goals. The mental energy spent on their drama can make it hard to focus on what truly matters. This can have severe implications on your finances because a lack of focus and productivity means you’ll be on the chopping block at your job. And if you own a business, you’re going to lose out to your competition, who are extremely focused and are continuously innovating and creating. That toxic relationship is costing you big bucks. Think of all the money you’re leaving on the table. That’s money you need for your retirement.

5. Isolation and Damaged Relationships

Toxic individuals often create conflict or division, which can strain your relationships with others. If you’re constantly navigating their manipulations, you may unintentionally withdraw from supportive people in your life or miss opportunities to build healthy connections. You will want to self-isolate because you just can’t risk ending up in another poor relationship, whether that’s friendship or romantic. As you spend less and less time with the people you already know, you are slowly putting an end to those relationships.

In conclusion, you’re not a martyr. You were put on this earth to suffer from every direction. It’s vital that you surround yourself with positive people in person and online. When you do that, you will give yourself a much better quality of life. Until next time, I’m Chris Josh...signing out.

Removing toxic people from your life isn’t just a boundary—it’s an act of self-care. Protect your energy and prioritize your well-being!