Toxic Relationships And Stink Bait

Ok, I'm getting on my soapbox today.  Mainly for myself and if it helps you too, then good!  

As far as I know, there really isn't a clinical term for toxic relationships, (maybe someone with their Phd in counseling can help me out on that) but nevertheless, toxic relationships, can definitely be hazardous to your emotional health, creating anxiety, stress, and probably even depression.  And when our emotional health suffers for a long period of time, usually our physical health suffers as well.

Here, what I think, is good description of a toxic relationship, by Clinton W. McLemore, Phd.  

Clinton W. McLemore, PhD, author of Toxic Relationships and How to Change Them: Health and Holiness and Everyday Life. “Think of a scale — from nourishing on one end to toxic on the other. [A toxic relationship is with] someone who continually throws you surprises or curves, keeps you off balance, raises your anxiety for no apparent reason, and leaves you feeling badly about yourself.”

Yep, that sounds about right to me.  We can be in toxic relationships with coworkers, a boss, friends, family member and/or significant other.  I chose "and/or" because I think there is the potential for any relationship to be toxic. Now, you all know I don't have a degree in psychology, I'm just speaking about what I have observed over many years of living.  

I know I've spoken about this before in a previous post, but this morning, I was unintentionally briefly in the middle of a situation that practically screamed "toxic relationship."  I've been in them.  You have too.  Sometimes we can be part of the problem.  I would imagine we all bring some level of toxicity into a relationship ourselves.  But, I'm talking about the kind of toxicity that that Dr. McLemore describes above.  And I'm talking from personal experience.  Having a relationship with someone who "continually" throws unwanted surprises or curves at you which keep you off balance and leaves you feeling badly about yourself stinks.   I've experienced a few of these relationships in my lifetime.  I'll reference my fishing experience here. They are as stinky as stink bait.  And if you've ever used it before you know it stinks enough to cause a gag reflex if you get too big of a whiff.  

So what do we do if we find ourselves in this type of unhealthy relationship? Well, more on that later.  Just know that we must not let someone else determine our happiness or lack thereof.  Life is just too darned short!  Now, I'm going four-wheeling with my kids for awhile.  Wanna come?  You might just catch a glimpse of that

Sunshine After the Storm
Blessings!
Betsy