Toxic marriage/relationship: To Walk Away Or To Stay Put?

When you enter into a relationship, you give your partner a fair shot at showing you who they really are. If there are any red flags or warning signs, hopefully, you will spot them early on. But what if you don’t? What if, after giving it your all and investing so much time and energy in the partnership, things get worse instead of better? Does this mean the person you love is not someone you can have a happy future with? Is there still hope for things to change for the better?

If your toxic partner shows no willingness to change their behavior or ways of thinking and continues to manipulate, control, and mistreat you... Is it time to walk away? Or do you stay put and try harder to salvage the relationship instead? Let’s see what makes sense in each scenario.

When Things Get Worse, Should You Walk?Away?

When you first got together, you may have overlooked your partner’s weaknesses and simply fallen in love. But as the relationship has progressed and your partner’s flaws and weaknesses remain unresolved, you may start to feel trapped. You may want to walk away but feel like you can’t because of your partner’s negative traits, such as: — They are controlling and manipulative. — They are extremely jealous, possessive, and/or demanding. — They have a history of being destructive and/or abusive. — They are addicted to drugs or alcohol. — They have an untreated mental illness. — They have committed a crime or are on the run from the law. — They are financially irresponsible. — They are very immature and/or have a childlike temperament. — They have a criminal record. — They have a contagious illness that you can’t risk getting. — They have a sexually transmitted disease. When any of these are in play, the relationship is toxic and unhealthy, no matter how much you love your partner. You can’t change your partner, and they don’t want to change. So, you must walk away.

Should You Stay Or Should You?Go?

If you love your partner but they have some weaknesses and flaws, you may be wondering if you should stay or go. These are the considerations you should take into account when deciding the fate of your relationship: — How long you’ve been together — The depth of your love for each other — The health of your relationship — Your partner’s willingness to change and improve — Your partner’s ability to change and improve — How your partner treats you — How you treat your partner If your relationship is relatively new and your partner has no major red flags or warning signs, but you don’t feel as strongly about them as you should feel, you might simply be experiencing a case of infatuation. Infatuation is a powerful emotion that often leads you to overlook your partner’s weaknesses and flaws. When you get past the “honeymoon period,” you may find yourself with a less-than-perfect partner, and wonder if it’s time to walk away. But if your partner is willing to change and improve and is able to do so, you may want to give your relationship a fighting chance.

Your Partner’s Willingness To Change And?Improve

A toxic partner will never magically change and improve. They may promise you that they will, but if they have shown this unwillingness to do so in the past, you can’t trust these promises. If you decide to stay with your partner and they are willing to change and improve, you must hold them accountable. You must be willing to walk away if they don’t follow through with their promise to change and improve.

How You Treat Your?Partner

If you treat your partner well overall but have some bad habits that are hard for you to break, your partner may want to stick it out and give you the time and support you need to change. But if your partner has serious anger issues, abusive tendencies, or has committed a crime, you may have no choice but to walk away.

Bottom Line

If you are in a toxic relationship, you must walk away. There’s nothing left to salvage. If your partner is willing to change and improve, you and your partner may have a chance to make your relationship work. But if your partner is incapable of changing and improving, there’s nothing left to salvage. If you’re not sure if your relationship is toxic, ask yourself the following questions: —How does the relationship make you feel? —Are you happy? — Does your partner treat you well? — Does your partner treat others well? — How long have you and your partner been together? —Are you with the right person? If your relationship is toxic, you must walk away. If your partner is willing to change, you have a chance to salvage your relationship.