Today, I’ll be answering the question of how toxic relationships erode your self-esteem. Self-esteem is about how you perceive yourself, how you view yourself as a worthy human being deserving of a good life or happiness.

In a relationship where you’re constantly betrayed, cheated on, and verbally abused or called names, these actions can have a profound impact on your self-esteem. Initially, you may not believe it the first or second time, but if it happens repeatedly, say 10, 20, or 30 times, you end up internalizing these negative messages. You absorb them like a sponge, especially when they come from people you trust and care about, such as your parents or your partner. Since you hold these individuals in high regard, you may start to believe that the negative comments are true. This internalization leads you to perceive these negative qualities as part of who you are.

Repeated betrayal and manipulation play a significant role in this erosion of self-esteem. In close relationships, manipulative individuals may want to use you for their own needs or manipulate you to get something from you. Gaslighting is a common manipulation tactic where they make you question your sense of reality. They might dismiss your feelings, claim you’re overreacting, or criticize your appearance, job, or actions.

Initially, you may resist and push back against these comments, asserting that they’re not true. However, as the manipulative behavior continues, you may gradually start believing these negative statements. The more you believe them, the more susceptible you become to manipulation. For instance, if someone wants money from you and consistently tells you that you’re selfish for not giving it, you might eventually believe it, lowering your self-esteem.

https://biiedwin.gumroad.com/l/NavigatingtheStormofNarcissisticAbuse

As boundaries are lowered, you become more susceptible to being taken advantage of, leading to a point where you may feel like anyone can treat you however they wish. This erosion of self-esteem started with small manipulations, gradually causing you to lose your identity. In summary, self-esteem gets eroded due to repeated betrayal and manipulation.

Note from the Author

If you’re ready and you’d like my help with healing, finding peace in life and breaking free from these toxic patterns, then you can book a FREE BREAKTHROUGH CALL with me HERE. Happy healing 💙💙. Feel free to share and comment! Use this information with caution, it comes from my own thoughts & bias, experiences and research😊.