How To Move On After A Toxic Relationship

By: Mia Faulkner

Break Studios Contributing Writer

It can be tough to know how to move on after a toxic relationship. These relationships often leave you feeling angry, exhausted, frustrated, and uncertain about the future. To move on after a toxic relationship, you’ll need to focus on your personal feelings and commit yourself to severing ties with the toxic individual.

Give yourself time to heal. It’s difficult to quickly move on after a toxic relationship. Recognize that it may take months, or even years, for you to fully overcome the issues that your relationship caused.
Allow yourself to work through your emotions. Negative feelings are a natural result of toxic relationships. Even after the toxic person is out of your life, these feelings may linger. Don’t try to stifle the anger, sadness, or frustration. Find constructive ways to release these feelings, such as writing, exercising, listening to music, or talking to friends.
Focus on you. Because toxic relationships can sap you of your energy, confidence, and self-esteem, take time to care for your own emotional well-being. Participate in activities that make you feel good about yourself and spend time with people who are supportive and have your best interests at heart.
Cut the toxic person out of your life. To move on after a toxic relationship, it’s important to sever ties with her. Letting the relationship linger will keep the old, toxic relationship patterns in play.
Talk to a professional counselor. If you’re unable to move on after a toxic relationship and are feeling depressed, anxious, and unable to get your life back on track, consider talking to a mental health professional. He can talk with you about the specific problems that your toxic relationship caused and help you come up with solutions that fit your specific situation.