We read a lot about toxic substances in the environment and even in our foods. Most of us would not willingly ingest toxic chemicals or inhale toxic fumes.

What about toxic people? How do we identify them, and how do they affect our lives?

Six Characteristics of a toxic person

1. A person who belittles you or lies to you.
2. A person who does not follow through with commitments.
3. A person who is physically abusive (that’s the easiest one to recognize).
4. A person who acts nice to you to your face and then gossips about you behind your back.
5. A person who blames everything on you until you begin to believe it.
6. A person who focuses only on negativity and victimhood.

It might be easy to simply avoid the toxic person if you are not in a relationship of any sort. Put up your mental barrier and move on or away from the person. It’s not so simple if you find yourself in a relationship with a toxic person.

Learn to set boundaries. You are not someone’s emotional punching bag. If you feel stuck, you may need help from a supportive person, whether a good friend or even professional help. When you realize that a person in your life is toxic and is harmful to your emotional wellbeing, you need to be the one to take the first step to protect yourself from their toxicity.

The healthiest way to live is to learn to recognize toxic people in the first place and learn to avoid them or do what you need to do to protect yourself from them.

Never believe you deserve to be treated poorly. Just like toxic substances harm the body, so do toxic people harm one’s emotional health or peace of mind. If you find yourself dealing with toxic people, make a change. Don’t wait until your self-esteem or mental peace is all but destroyed.