"I stayed when I should have left. I forgave when I hadn't healed. I silenced myself when I needed to speak. I gave up my voice, my boundaries, and my sense of emotional safety. I stopped expressing my needs to avoid conflict. I minimized my feelings so I wouldn't be "too much." I slowly disconnected from the parts of me that felt confident, joyful, and secure. And in the process, I slowly forgot who I was."
"I didn't realize it at the time, but I was in a toxic relationship, one where love came mixed with manipulation, control, and inconsistency. It wasn't all bad, which made it harder to leave. But the highs and lows were so intense that my nervous system was always on edge. It always started with charm. After a fight, he would apologize for raising his voice or for disappearing, promise that he would communicate better,"
A person remained in a relationship while sacrificing voice, boundaries, and emotional safety, often forgiving before healing and silencing needs to avoid conflict. Minimizing feelings to avoid being perceived as "too much" produced disconnection from confidence, joy, and security. The relationship mixed affection with manipulation, control, and inconsistency, creating intense highs and lows that kept the nervous system on edge. The pattern began with charm and apologies, shifted to criticism and distancing when boundaries appeared, and escalated into explosive arguments followed by affection, which reinforced attempts to prove worth and win consistent love.
Read at Tiny Buddha
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