7 valid reasons to cut ties with a toxic family member

What comes to your mind first when you hear the word ‘family’? It must be love and support.

After all, it is our family that stays by our side every ups and downs. No matter what, you will always receive love and care from your family members.

But not everyone is this lucky as there can be some instances where one of your family members lets you down or hurts you every time.

Eventually, there comes a time when it becomes necessary for you to cut ties with that person.

But since it is your family, you may not be able to decide if you need to actually cut ties.

Therefore, we are here to tell you about the signs that tell if it is the time to distance yourself from a toxic family member.

1. You go through repeated abuse

If you are going through any kind of abuse i.e., mental, physical or emotional, then it is better to cut ties with the toxic family member. Any relationship which makes you feel uncomfortable and takes away your peace of mind is not a healthy one and there’s no point in staying in such a relationship. Rather than accepting the toxic behaviour, it is advisable that you take a stand for yourself.

2. They never respect your opinions

Since our family members know us quite well, they often give us suggestions and make sure that we are moving in the right direction. But if one of your family members never respects your opinions and forces their decisions on you, then it could be a clear sign that you need to distance yourself from such a person.

3. They try to control your every action and decision

As said above, family members know us quite well and care for us, they often decide what is right for us. But constantly keeping a close eye on your every decision and action is something different from genuine care and support. In case a person from your family always controls whatever you do and forces you to obey his or her decisions, then this could be a sign that you need to move out of the toxicity. We are not saying that if your family stops you from doing something then you should cut ties with them, but if they compel you every time, even when you are mature enough, is not a good sign.

4. It is only about taking and no giving

A family is where every member puts equal effort and helps each other in every circumstance. But if it is only you who makes effort to keep the bond alive, then this is a sign you need to cut ties with that person. If you find your family member to be manipulating for getting whatever they want and in return giving you a silent treatment, then there’s no point in staying close to them. You need to understand that a person who is toxic, cares only about himself/herself, and therefore will never try to make you happy.

5. The person tries to harm your loved ones

This is one of the major signs that you need to immediately cut ties with the toxic family member. If the person is always threatening you and/or tries to harm your loved ones, then staying close to such a person can bring many problems in your life.

6. There are trust issues between you and family member

The base of any relationship is trust, but if you tend to share a bond where your family member is rarely honest with you, then this is not a good sign. Keeping a close bond with such a person can make your life miserable. Also, if you are unable to trust any of your family members just because they gossip too much about you in your absence, then you know what to do.

7. Your relationship with them is full of negativity

If you share a relationship with your family member which is full of negativity and makes you feel stressed, then it’s high time you should move out of such a relationship. You may feel negative vibes around you and have low self-esteem when they are around you. Staying in such a relationship that hardly has any happiness and comfort is totally exhausting and miserable.