When we talk about toxic relationships, we often conclude that anyone who is in this kind of unhealthy connection should pack their bags, leave and never look back. However, others who have been in this kind of love story sincerely believe that maybe, just maybe, all you need is to have a little faith – and perhaps a much-needed space to detoxify and recharge one’s emotional batteries.
However, one important question that we should address is, are there really effective ways to detoxify yourself from a toxic relationship? Well, we have here some practical ways, tips and pieces of advice that will help you find a sweet and genuine antidote to the poisons of an almost failing connection.
Here they are:
1. Give yourself time for solitude.
Many people have discovered the benefits of being alone, just enjoying life in silence and away from the chaos of the world. In fact, solitude has a way of healing and rejuvenating the body and mind that no form of relaxation or recreation can ever give. So where do you get started?
Travel alone, experience places that you’ve never seen before, or just spend a night or two in a peaceful refuge, without a care in the world.
2. Spend memorable moments with friends and family.
Take a break from the routines of your love life and just be with people who will never demand time and effort from you. Just feel the freedom of doing things for yourself while around people who won’t expect anything from you but your presence.
How about finally showing up in that reunion, or giving your mom and dad a call? Be with them and appreciate their existence in these trying times.
3. Reorganize your routine and introduce something new.
One way to detoxify yourself from a toxic relationship is to totally reassess your lifestyle and figure out what needs to change and what needs to go. In addition, introduce some new elements to your everyday life and see how it can make a difference both in your overall perspective and your day to day mood.
Try a new hobby, be a part of something worthwhile, volunteer and help people in need, anything that will make you feel fulfilled and accomplished.
4. Try to create space and freedom even when you’re together.
Establish personal boundaries and make an agreement to respect each other’s space – figuratively and literally. Every person should have the right to breathe and just be themselves in a space free from distraction, judgement and obligation.
Build a safe place, and create physical boundaries, a refuge where you can always go to whenever you need to be alone.
5. Spend time apart and use it to relax and reconnect.
You don’t have to be together all the time and sometimes, there are problems that you can only solve when you’re apart. If you feel that what you have is starting to break both of you into pieces, you have to step back. Sometimes, saving an almost failing relationship takes sacrifices like spending time away from each other. Reconnect to your inner self and find those missing parts.
6. Focus on your physical health and everything will follow.
Scars from an emotionally exhausting and toxic relationship can eventually manifest physically, affecting your total health and it can often lead to a more serious infliction of both mind and body. This is the reason why taking time to take care of your physical health should be a priority especially if you want to recover from a toxic relationship.
Eat right, work out, meditate, just keep moving and stay active.
7. Take time to celebrate victories in other aspects of your life.
Relationship problems won’t end your world and it’s not a valid reason to conclude that life is cruel and unfair. Make an effort to adjust your view and you’d realize how blind you’ve been. Start by celebrating your small victories no matter how mundane and simple they are.
You took the garbage out? You’ve bought new clothes? You’ve finally submitted that report? Congratulate yourself for doing a good job.
8. Allow yourself a moment of silence and self-reflection.
Let silence recover what you have lost in the process of loving someone toxic. In turn, it will teach you how to rediscover a happier and more optimistic part of you that you have long been ignoring just because you were too focused on the things that hurt.
Be with nature, go somewhere nice, anywhere that will make you feel at peace.
9. Find comfort in good food and great company.
Good food will never fail to treat whatever physical or emotional inflictions you have suffered – and aside from how it can restore your energy and zest for life, pairing it with good company, with your most favorite people in the world, can be an instant remedy. Do it often, and you’ll find your cure.
Do you have a favorite restaurant? Invite your favorite people and just forget about eating healthy for a night. Treat yourself, have a drink. You deserve it.
10. Create an ‘honesty zone’ and have that much-needed talk.
Finally, when you’ve already tried everything on this list or at least some of them, arrange a decent conversation with the person who caused all these. Once you’re there face-to-face with the love of your life, let honesty do its part.
Have a much-needed talk and be open to opposing ideas, expect disagreements, but never fail to do this one thing: resolve every issue that’s draining the love and life out of you. You both deserve it.
This last piece of advice is helpful in assessing where you are in the relationship and what you should do to fix whatever is broken. Honest communication can make all the difference.
There are times when even if we know that something is bad for us, we always try to make it work no matter how damaging and unhealthy it is – maybe because we know that it’s worth it. Perhaps we have seen something in it that’s different and it deserves a second, third or fourth chance?
As long as you do it right, as long as you put yourself first, and as long as you both do your part, it’s not a bad thing to try and give your love another shot.
