Do You Need to Sever Your Relationship with a Toxic Spouse or Family Member?
Severing ties with a spouse or another family member might be hard to handle. You could feel pressure to make the relationship work, even though it’s painful and the individual involved has no intention of changing. Perhaps you fear disowning the toxic person will bring you shame and guilt, and you aren’t sure how to do it anyway.
Here’s how to find the courage to disassociate from them.
How To Cut Off a Toxic Partner
You might already know your relationship with a toxic family member is too painful to keep. Unfortunately, many people end unhealthy relationships and delay breaking free, often for years, before concluding there’s no way to improve them. By the time they are ready to sever their connection, they’ve tried hard to remedy personal differences and failed. Again, guilt and not knowing how to progress stop them from moving on.
Does the scenario sound familiar? If you recognize your relationship is toxic, the chances are you need to build courage and understand it’s okay to divorce someone, even a family member, who repeatedly mistreats you. Indeed, it might be the wisest course of action.
How To Be Strong Enough To leave a Toxic Relationship?
Identify what holds you back to see the way forward. Mostly, people stick with toxic relationships because they fear the unfamiliarity of leaving. They worry about what other family members might say and whether the toxic individual will make the process hard. Also, they could feel guilty because society often encourages families to stay together, no matter what happens.
One way to increase your courage to let go is to develop an exit strategy. You may, for instance, gather support from close friends who recognize your plight. When you break free, they will back up your decision and be sympathetic. Then again, if you fear they will be judgmental, it might be best to keep your plan to yourself.
You may also run through how to sever ties. One option is to take a gradual approach and ease away from the toxic relationship. The spouse or other family member you want to stop seeing will get used to not being with you much, and the transition will be more straightforward.
Of course, if the relationship is too painful to slip away from in steps, you might stop seeing the individual immediately. In which case, prepare for the change in your lifestyle. Plan events to attend as you transition to a life without the individual or time by yourself if it meets your needs.
Finally, Break Free from a Toxic Relationship
You’ll benefit from peace and relaxation if your world has been drama-filled because of the toxic relationship. Unhealthy relationships cause stress and damage wellbeing, and the freedom to do whatever you want will help heal you.
If you live with a spouse or family member you want to leave, make sure you know where you will go when the relationship ends. For example, a friend might let you stay with them, or you could rent an apartment. If you face financial struggles, investigate the possibility of going to a shelter or emergency housing for a while until you can cope alone.
Severing ties with a toxic spouse and family member is stressful and worthwhile. You deserve a life without toxicity, and constant arguments and ill-treatment damage your health and steal your happiness. Build courage and support and decide your exit plan and splitting up will give you much-longed-for freedom.
Learn the Alternatives
If divorce scares you, look at these alternatives to divorce to learn more about your different options. Also, get in touch with a professional who can guide you with care and passion through this challenging time. Dalena & Bosch is a divorce and family law firm with years of experience in these fields. Our attorneys have the force needed to help those in complex relationships. Please feel free to contact us for help so we can discuss your situation.