Anyone could turn out to be toxic. Your best friend, your cousin, your work buddy, your romantic partner – anyone. Unfortunately, it is unrealistic to think that we can live in a world without toxicity. However, if we learn to recognize toxic behavior, we can avoid becoming victims of it.
Here are 7 traits of toxic people to look out for:
1. They never have anything nice to say.
Toxic people are usually the ones who point out all the bad things about a person or a situation. They rarely say something nice. And if they do, they twist it in a way that their seemingly kind words have exactly the opposite vibe. By using different intonations or crooked facial expressions, they are able to turn everything into a disadvantage. Suchlike people cannot stand seeing others happy, so they would say anything, just to undermine the occasion. The sad part is that they put others down only to feel a little better about themselves.
2. They project their toxicity onto others.
Those who have nothing but bitterness inside of them are often blaming others for their mistakes. They almost never take responsibility for their actions. Instead of apologizing and trying to make things right, they project their wrongdoings onto the ones closest to them. They guilt-trip others trying to convince them it was their actions that led to the hurtful outcome. And even if all the evidence points to them, they never feel sorry for hurting other people.
3. They want you to prove yourself constantly.
After guilt-tripping you into believing you were the one in the wrong, toxic people use that guilt to make you prove your worthiness to them. Whenever you spend time together, they want you to do things for them to make them believe they can trust you. Sooner or later, they play you like a puppet on a string, making you do all the dirty work they are supposed to be doing. By constantly reminding you that you are not doing enough, they are crushing your confidence, which makes you easier to manipulate.
4. They are viciously manipulative.
Dealing with toxic people can severely harm your mental health. That’s because they are highly manipulative to the point where they can make you question even your own thoughts. They lie, cheat, fake, deceive, and exaggerate in a bid to create a facade that makes you believe you can count on them. But the second they sense you’re already trapped in their web of lies, they make you regret you ever trusted them. While hurting you is not always their main goal, it inevitably happens after all the deceptions they put you through.
5. They embellish the truth.
Toxic people want to have it all. They want to be the best at everything so others could praise them and envy their success. And when they are not happy with their achievements, they never hesitate to exaggerate them. They lie about their position in the working hierarchy, the scope of their social media influence, even the number of their friends, only to fool the ones around them into admiring them.
6. They spread lies about others.
Gossiping is one of the most toxic things a person could do. Talking about others behind their backs and spreading lies about their lives is beyond disrespectful and offensive. When someone actively spreads falsehoods about others and exposes personal details they have shared under secrecy, this says a lot more about the person who gossips than the one they gossip about.
7. They always take, take, take…
Takers don’t have any limits. They are capable of draining you entirely until your presence no longer serves them. While doing so, they never give anything in return. If you’re a giver, they will take advantage of you until you have nothing left to give. And when that happens, they will toss you aside as if you never meant anything to them.
