Affectionate relationships are expected to bring love, comfort and a sense of security. However, not all relationships are healthy. Many people are drawn into sweet moments, and then ignore the warning signs of a toxic relationship. When they realize it, they have paid the price with mental, physical health and even deeply damaged hearts.
Dr. Sonal Anand, a psychiatrist working at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai (India), shared that toxic relationships often create a prolonged emotional burden. "They make people live in anxiety, sadness and fear. Over time, this pressure reduces their ability to cope with life," she said.
How do toxic relationships destroy health?
Many people think stress only comes from work or family responsibilities, but in fact, emotional life is also a serious source of stress. When constantly enduring criticism, control or indifference from your partner, both body and mind are eroded.
According to Dr. Sonal Anand, a toxic relationship can deplete creativity, erode self-esteem and make people lose themselves. People in this situation often experience symptoms such as insomnia, headache, irritability, prolonged fatigue and constant feelings of insecurity.
Research published in PubMed Central shows that people who maintain unhealthy relationships are at high risk of facing chronic stress. This condition is directly related to depression, anxiety disorders, weight gain, high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases. The body is always placed in a state of "fight or flight", causing the immune system to weaken and the heart to be overloaded.
Not only stopping at mental health, the toxic relationship also actually harms the heart. Dr. Nihar Mehta, a cardiologist at Jaslok Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, said that prolonged emotional stress increases the risk of heart disease and heart attacks by up to 34%.
In severe cases, mental shock from intense arguments or breakups can cause heart failure, a condition that causes the heart to temporarily weaken with symptoms similar to heart attack," Dr. Mehta warned.
Why is giving up difficult but necessary?
Knowing that a relationship is harming is one thing, bravely leaving is another. Many people cling to it because of memories, because of hope for the other person to change, or because of fear of loneliness. However, as Dr. Sonal Anand emphasized: "If bad days are more than happy days, it is a clear sign that you need to change.
Breaking up a toxic relationship is not synonymous with failure, but an act of self-protection. Frank communication, respecting the feelings of both, avoiding a cold ending and giving yourself time to heal are important steps to avoid collapsing after a breakup.
