Are You Unknowingly the Toxic One in Your Family? Here’s How to Tell
Unsplash No family is perfect, that much is sure. However, while it’s tempting to point the finger at a weird uncle or an overly critical parent, it’s possible that the toxic one in the family is actually you. How do you know if you’re the one causing all the tension? Look for these signs. If you relate to them, you’re likely the problem.
1. You always need to be right.
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Do you constantly feel the need to have your say, even when it’s not necessary or welcome? Always having to be right creates serious tension and strain in the relationships within your family. It ends up making people feel unheard and invalidated, which will make them not wanting to bother talking to you at all — and who could blame them?
2. You take everything personally.
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Maybe you’re guilty of aggressive knee-jerk reactions and that makes everyone walk on eggshells around you. Wow, how fun. Taking things personally creates a really hostile environment within the family, where people are afraid to actually express themselves honestly because they don’t want to set you off. As a result, the communication goes down the drain, which then leads to more misunderstandings and maybe even resentment.
3. You use manipulative tactics to get your way.
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You try to guilt-trip people to get them to do your bidding, or you use passive-aggressive comments to get your way or make your family members feel inferior. Not only is this really nasty behaviour, it’s also manipulative and will no doubt kill the trust in your relationships with them. The dynamic will become super unhealthy, leaving them feeling controlled and belittled. You can see where this is going…
4. You have zero empathy for them.
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Do you struggle to understand and relate to other people’s feelings or experiences? The absence of empathy is bound to create drama within the family. It’s so important to be able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and truly understand where they’re coming from and what they’re going through. Without this ability, it’s kinda hard to find meaningful connections or even really support your family members well.
5. You’re always criticising.
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Instead of supporting them or offering constructive feedback (when they actually ask for it, that is), you often find yourself criticising or belittling your family members. Doing this all the time kills their self-esteem and basically destroys your relationship with them. No one wants their flaws and mistakes pointed out 24/7 — all that negativity will just make them want to avoid you at all costs.
6. You don’t know how to apologise (or just refuse to do it).
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Do you have trouble admitting when you’re wrong or taking responsibility for your actions? Not being able to say a genuine “I’m sorry” when you’ve messed up is a serious problem. You need to be able to show humility and a willingness to acknowledge your mistakes as well as the effects they have on the people you care about. Otherwise, you’re going to have a lot of strained relationships.
7. You try to control everything and everyone.
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Trying to control people’s actions or decisions rather than respecting their autonomy is not the one. Who are you to tell people how they should be living their lives? Don’t you have your own to focus on? Controlling behaviour ruins relationships and creates a toxic environment that literally no one wants to be part of. Everyone in the family should be able to exhibit independence as well as interdependence — you have to respect people’s life choices.
8. Your moods are extreme and all over the place.
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Your feelings fluctuate dramatically from one second to the next, leaving your family members feeling confused and unsure of where they stand with you at any given time. This means they never know how to talk to you about things or handle situations with you, since they don’t know which version of you is going to react. This kind of unpredictability is draining, to say the least.
9. You refuse to listen.
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Do you dismiss other people’s opinions and perspectives because you think that only your POV is valid? Wow, talk about toxic. Refusing to listen can create a one-sided and toxic dynamic within the family. Healthy communication involves active listening, valuing other people’s input, and considering different perspectives. Dismissing your family members all the time will cause a build-up of resentment, and it’s only a matter of time before it explodes.
10. You play the victim.
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When you mess up, instead of taking responsibility for your actions, you play the victim and make it out as if everyone — and even the universe as a whole — is out to get you. This way, you don’t have to own up to your part in your own misfortunes. Sadly, this means you can never actually resolve conflicts within your family in a healthy way, and you instead end up perpetuating a cycle of blame and defensiveness.
11. You have no boundaries.
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Boundaries exist for a reason — they’re there to let you know what people are comfortable with and what’s a no-go. However, if you regularly disregard those boundaries and do whatever you want anyway, it’s no wonder things are so strained in your family. Everyone’s allowed to say what’s acceptable and what isn’t for them, and you have to respect that. It’s not up for discussion.
12. You don’t even know the meaning of “self-care.”
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You’re so caught up in all your drama that you don’t actually check in with or look after yourself at all. As a result, you end up feeling exhausted and overwhelmed a lot, leading you to lash out at your family members. Neglecting self-care makes you irritable and frustrated, and you inevitably end up taking it out on the people who are closest to you. Get it together!
13. You’re way too competitive.
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Do you constantly compare yourself to your own family members in a way that breeds resentment and hostility? Not everything is a game that needs to be won, and trying to turn everything into a competition creates an extremely toxic atmosphere. Healthy relationships are built on collaboration, support, and celebrating each other’s successes. Constant competition can lead to jealousy, tension, and a lack of genuine connection. I know which one of those I’d prefer!
14. You hold on to grudges.
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You find it nearly impossible to let bygones be bygones, and you just don’t know how to forgive. It’s no wonder the family dynamic is so toxic! Not being able to let go of grudges leads to tons of resentment and relationships that are difficult and full of conflict. You need to let go of the negativity so that everyone can move on.
15. You never want to resolve conflicts.
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Brushing issues under the carpet, expecting them to just go away on their own is an absolute waste of time. You have to address issues head-on to really get to the bottom of them and resolve them completely. Otherwise, the family dynamic will begin to sour, and things may get to a place where there’s no going back. Is that really what you want?
